Frostbitten: The Full Story
by Arialene
Summary: Three years after Elsa's extraordinary wintry summer, Anna convinces her to take a vacation back to her old haunt, her Ice Palace. While there, she meets a figure from her childhood that she has only ever dreamed of, sending them both on an amazing week of adventures that morphs into a lifetime of love, adventure, laughter and, eventually, heartbreak. Image: Qin-Ying (DevArt)
1. Chapter 1

**Well, when I first started writing Frostbitten, I certainly never expected it to get 100 reviews, let alone close to 500. I'm shocked, thrilled, pleased beyond all belief that so many of you love it so much. So for everyone, thank you so very much.**

**There have been many, many requests for Anna's take one an event, or wanting to know what happened with Olaf, or a LOT of events that I did skip over in Frostbitten. I understand that I skipped a lot in Frostbitten, it was intentional. And here is why, it was supposed to give you the feeling of Jack telling a story to Jamie in a short period of time, there were supposed to be things skipped over. I wanted you to have questions.**

**Originally, I was only going to do this from Anna's point of view, maybe through in a little here and there from other character perspectives but thinking more on it, I've rethought that. No, what this is going to be, will be the WHOLE story of what happened to Jack, Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and all the other characters that I love, and you all have seemed to fall in love with as well. There will be some repeating from Jack's telling, I won't be able to avoid that. But there will be a LOT more in this here to add to what has already been written. There won't be any jumping back and forth either, as this is only going to be set in Arendelle in the 19****th**** century. I'll be continuing my research, trying to make things nice and historically accurate for my neurotic self, and for the enjoyment of everyone.**

**In the meantime, since I'm going to take a little more time with this series, there is also the fun Vignette series that is proving to be TONS of fun for everyone :).**

**Hope you all continue to enjoy this saga I've embarked on with Frostbitten! 3 Aria**

***Solitaire**

* * *

"She's unhappy," Anna said, pacing around the sitting area in their apartment of rooms. Kristoff was sitting off by the window, playing Patience* with a worn deck of cards, looking out the window every few moments.

"I know she is, haven't you seen her lately? She looks so lonely, unhappy. We have to do something, Kristoff," she continued.

He sighed, putting his cards down. "You shouldn't walk around so much, the doctor said you shouldn't be on your feet so much these last weeks."

Anna waved her hand at him, continuing her pacing around the room, her other hand coming to settle on her very round belly. "This baby isn't going anywhere until I'm ready for it."

"Don't think that is how it works," Kristoff muttered, looking back down at his cards.

"Kristoff! This is serious! Have you no care for Elsa's wellbeing?" Anna said, tears welling up in her eyes. "She spent all that time along, she told me all about it you know. About how scared she was, about how badly she felt about hurting me. About how mother and father were so scared of her, that must have been just terrible for her to grow up with. And now, Kristoff!"

Kristoff jumped in his chair, looking up at his wife who hand stomped over to glare down at him.

"What?"

"Have you not been LISTENING TO ME?"

He smiled up at her, setting the cards down again and standing up, wrapping his arms around the emotional roller coaster that was Anna. He swallowed the chuckle in his throat.

"I don't know, Anna. She's seemed fine to me whenever I've seen her. Maybe she's just been busy with work, she certainly works long hours. And I don't think she's taken a day off since she became Queen. Well, except for the time she froze the whole kingdom, ran off to the mountains and you had to go after her, met me and almost froze to death yourself."

She punched his arm playfully and laughed a little, relaxing into his arms.

"You think that is what it is?"

"I don't know, Anna, maybe you should go ask her. As for me, I need to go check on Sven."

"Now? It's almost time for supper."

"Yeah, which means it's almost time for his as well."

Anna opened her mouth to reply when one of the palace maids bustled in, looking worried and frazzled. Marta, the one who helped Anna watch Erik and Lisbet.

"Oh, your highness. I'm sorry, I am so sorry. I laid them down for their nap, like you said, and just popped down to the servant's quarters to get my knitting, so I had somethings to do, and I came back up and they were gone! I've searched all over for them, I can't find them anywhere!"

Anna sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

"Did you look in Elsa's office," she asked the maid, her eyes closed.

"No, why wou-"

Kristoff chuckled. "I'll be back in a few minutes, you can get the children and check on your sister at the same time," he said, grabbing a bag from beside the door before slipping out. Anna scowled as she heard him chuckling in the corridor.

"It's fine, Marta, go start preparing baths for them. Kristoff is right, they are likely in Elsa's office, even after I told them not to go in there before supper anymore."

The maid watched Anna with wide eyes for a moment before bobbing a quick curtsey and hurrying from the room. Anna laughed a little, slowly walking towards the door herself.

"I shouldn't be surprised," she muttered to herself. "They are just as enthralled and intrigued with her power as I was when I was little. Well, still am." She smiled, taking a nice slow walk down the hall towards the office, nodding her head when she heard the familiar small voices of her children coming from the open door. She turned into the doorway, silently watching as Elsa spun snow around the small room, causing the small children to laugh with glee. She smiled, walking further into the room before bending down as Erik and Lisbet came running at her with shouts of "Mama!" and plastering themselves to either side of her. Anna loved these moments, loved having her children, even when they had done something they shouldn't have. She couldn't bring herself to scold them for something she was planning to do herself.

"My goodness," she said. "You haven't been bothering Elsa too much with her work now, have you?"

She smoothed out the wild strands of Erik's hair, sticking out in all directions while rubbing Lisbet's back with the opposite hand that she had wrapped around her daughter. She was still amazed to see the strange blending that had happened of herself and Kristoff in their children.

"Look mama, I got you flowers! And Elsa iced them, so they are extra special!" Erik said, holding up the ice heavy flowers for her. She smiled at him, seeing the plan for coming to see Elsa coming into view now. But, she also knew it would take time for Marta to get the children bathed, and especially without her help since she wanted to talk to Elsa.

"Thank you sweeting, why don't you and Lisbet go down and find Marta now, and get washed up for supper? Papa will be back soon," she said, taking the flowers and smiling brightly at them.

"Okay mama!" they shouted, running out of the room. Anna breathed an internal sigh of relief of not having to fight them. She watched for a moment as they fled the room, smiling after them before turning to look up at her beloved sister.

"Goodness, Kristoff and I have been blessed. I can only hope this little one is as well behaved, and I will be a very happy woman," she said, lifting herself off the floor with a struggled but practiced effort. This wasn't her first go 'round with pregnancy. Huffing a little once she was fully upright, she gave Elsa a wide smile that she carefully crafted into one of concern, she'd played this game before with Kristoff.

"Elsa, you look exhausted. Are you not sleeping well?"

Anna carefully held her face as Elsa gave her a suspicious glance before laughing, shaking her head.

"I'm fine, Anna. I'm just trying to get ahead on everything for the fall, and just, you know me, keeping everything in order. It's a never ending task," Elsa said, running a hand up over her hair and adjusting her braid while Anna looked at her.

The frown lines on Elsa's face had become more defined, dark circles were under her eyes and ink stained her hands, likely from sleeping on her desk again. Anna sighed, taking a few steps forward and turning to lean back against the slave master that was Elsa's desk.

"When was the last time you took some time for yourself?" she asked Elsa.

"I don't-" Elsa began, Anna turned her best mother stare on her.

It had worked wonders on Kristoff and the children in the past, she wasn't sure if it would work on her sister though. One of the elder maids had told her about how you would just learn it, after becoming a mother, Anna thought it was one of the better perks, after the actual being a mother park of course. It solved so many arguments, got so many little tasks done.

Elsa sighed, Anna did her best not to yell with victory. "It's been, I don't know, 3 years? Probably since I first ran off into the mountains, I've been so busy. I just don't have the time to just run off for a week."

'Damn, Kristoff was right,' Anna thought to herself quickly.

"That is exactly what you need to do," she said aloud though.

"Wh-what?" Elsa said. "No, I can't do that, I have too much to do," she protested, pointing at her desk.

"You were just telling me that you were getting ahead on things for fall. It's the middle of summer, Elsa. You have plenty of time to prepare for the fall still. You look exhausted, right now, you need to go back up to the mountains and have some fun. For a week."

Elsa looked stunned, her eyes going huge as she looked at Anna. "The mountains? For a week? No, no I can take maybe a day, stay around here, have a lie in-"

"Elsa, we both know you won't do that. You'll take half the morning off, maybe take a walk around the gardens before you'll be right back in this room like you've done nothing for yourself. You need to get out of here, take some books and go play in the snow for a few days," Anna said, wiggling her fingers for emphasis. "It will be good for you."

Elsa stared at Anna for a long few moments, looking down at the large stacks of papers on her desk and finally sighs. Anna held her breath for a moment.

"I suppose you are right," she said, giving Anna a weak smile.

'My god, if she's giving up this easily she really does need a break,' Anna thought.

"A week isn't going to really put me behind, when I'm already so far ahead. And Matias can take care of any overly pressing matters that arise, or you."

Anna held her smile at Elsa. Matias, Elsa's right hand man for a little bit of everything. Anna wasn't really even sure where he came from, or how old he was. He was very polite, always very well put together. Anna didn't think much of it, Matias had helped Elsa with things before, she was sure he could do so again. She beamed at her sister, jumping a little and clapping her hands.

"Yay!" she said aloud. "That was easier than I thought it was going to be. Let's go pack!"

Anna hurried out of the room, hoping that if she was overly excited for the both of them that Elsa would follow and wouldn't have a change of heart. She heard Elsa chuckle behind her and her steps on the stone floor as she followed behind Anna to her bedchamber.

Anna strolled into Elsa's room, a huge smile on her face. It still thrilled to be able to enter Elsa's quarters with no restrictions, no locked doors, no rejections. Anna headed for the wardrobe, pulling open the heavy cedar doors and roaming her eyes over the clothes held within.

"No clothes," Elsa said, walking into the room.

"What?" Anna said, leaning back a little to look at Elsa with confusion. "What do you mean no clothes? You can't just wear that for a week, you'll smell worse than Sven."

Elsa gave her a look over her shoulder as she headed for a bookcase on the opposite end of the room.

"I only want to take one bag with me, I don't want it full of clothes," she said. "No clothes. I'll just make whatever I need."

Anna frowned, looking back at the wardrobe. "Don't you at least want something? What if you get really tired and can't cast something on you?"

She heard Elsa sigh. "You aren't going to let this go are you?"

"At least something?" Anna said, holding up a folded dress.

Elsa rolled her eyes and waved it towards the small stack of books she had setting at the foot of her bed. "Fine, but I'm telling you I won't use it."

Anna grinned, setting the dress down on the bed. "And a blanket too."

Elsa sighed again, looking up at the ceiling. "I don't get cold, Anna."

"Well, you might need a little cushion for your bum."

Elsa laughed, nodding. "Okay, okay. You are going to mother into whatever you want me to do, aren't you?" she teased.

Anna giggled, tossing the blanket she found at Elsa. "Oh stop, I'm just trying to look out for you!"

"You need some food too," Anna said, looking down at the paltry assembly of dress, blanket and books lying on the bed.

Elsa frowned coming to stand by her. "I don't think we thought this through all the way."

They turned to each other and started giggling.

"You know I could just stay here," Elsa said again, as Anna walked over to the heavy rope standing in the corner and pulled it.

Anna shook her head, still laughing. "No! You're going, you need to get out of here. Besides, I need you fully sane for when this little one gets here. I'm sure Cook will be able to fix you up with a full spread in just a thimble. We've been spoiled with so much help, is the problem."

Elsa laughed again, bending on her knees to look under her bed. After a moment she stood back up holding a large black fabric bag with a long strap dangling down. She set the bag on the bed, reaching for the few items that sat on top and setting them inside, frowning down at the huge empty space that was still left in the bag.

"What else do I need?" Elsa said, looking up at Anna.

Anna opened her mouth to reply when three maids came into the room, smiling at Anna and Elsa.

"Good evening your Majesty, your Highness. Shall we turn your room down and help get you ready for supper?" one of them said, as they all bobbed curtsies.

Elsa blinked at them, not sure what to say for once.

"Elsa is going on a bit of a trip, actually. She's leaving as soon as she is packed. She just needs a few things, only what can go in this bag," Anna supplied, looking at her sister. "Only, we don't really know what all she needs to take. We have some clothes, and a blanket."

"And books, I do want to read while I'm away. I'm just going up to the mountain," Elsa said, nodding at the bag.

The maids looked at each other before stepping into the room, looking into the mostly barren bag and then looking at each other again. The one who had greeted the sisters spoke first, pointing at the other three maids in turn.

"Mary, go to the kitchens and tell Cook. She'll know what to do. Nina, go fetch a box of candles and a light lantern. I'll be right back meself, your majesty," she said as they all left the room.

"Oh, but Agnes," Elsa said, holding a hand as the maids left the room. Her hand fell down as her words were spoken too late.

Anna grinned at Elsa. "See, I told you Cook would know what to do."

Elsa looked at Anna and began to giggle. "I do believe this is one of the more foolhardy things you've talked me into."

Anna laughed. "If I wasn't this huge, I'd come with you! I'm sure I could manage with some blankets and furs."

Elsa smiled, stepping over to hug Anna. "Thank you," she said.

Anna was a little taken aback, her arms slowly coming up to hug Elsa back. "For what?"

"Convincing me that I needed to take some me time."

Agnes and Nina returned at the same time, both carrying items in both hands. Nina carried a strange metal tin that was surrounded by a thick cloth along with a wooden box stamped with 'Candles.' Agnes balanced a new inkpot, quills, and sheaf of parchment. Elsa rose her brows at Agnes' items.

"Writing material?"

"Oh aye, my lady. If I know you at all, you might go crazy if you don't have something to write on, if you be getting one of your ideas. Or haven't you noticed that we have placed writing materials in all of your rooms?"

Elsa blinked. "I just thought it was like that."

Agnes smiled and nodded. "And we like you to be keeping it that way, my lady," she said, bustling to the bed and setting her items down, pulling the bag to her and removing the blanket before moving some things around inside.

"Nina, get that heavy wool blanket for me please?"

Anna frowned. "Why not the one I grabbed?"

"Begging your pardon, your highness, but that blanket barely keeps you warm inside. You need a good solid wool blanket for outside."

"I don't get cold," Elsa repeated, crossing her arms.

"Well, your majesty," Agnes said, taking the blanket from Nina and quickly refolding it to fit into the bag. "As my mama was fond of saying, "Tis better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.""

Anna and Elsa looked at each other, Anna shrugged her shoulders with a grin before they stepped together and watched as the maids packed the bag together, Nina handing Agnes the items she asked for.

"Now, be careful with this, your majesty," Nina said, holding up the strange tin that they were wrapping in an old piece of wool cloth. "It's very hot. It's a fire starter."

Elsa frowned. "How do I use it?"

The maids paused, looking at each other.

"I'm usually better at putting fires out than starting them. And I usually do without. I'm assuming the only reason I'll need a fire is for candlelight," Elsa continued.

"Well," Agnes said. "You should just be able to put the wick of the candle against the coal inside. The coal won't last very long though, you might want to watch your candles, try to keep one lit."

Elsa nodded. "This is proving to be more complicated than I had originally thought," she muttered to Anna.

Anna nudged her. "It will be fun, you'll see."

Mary came back into the room, carrying a basket full of packed tins with food and water inside them.

"About time you got back," Agnes said, taking the basket and beginning to tuck the tins in the bag.

"Cook was finishing up supper for her Highness' family," Mary replied, smiling at Anna and Elsa.

"Oh, bother," Anna said. "Kristoff will never let me hear the end of this now. I've missed supper. Did cook save a plate for me?"

"Of course, my lady," Mary replied, she gestured to the largest of the tins going into the bag. "The largest one is your own supper, your Majesty."

Elsa smiled. "Nice to know Cook doesn't want me to head off without my supper."

Agnes stuffed the last tin in, pulling at the string ties and fastening the buttons to close the bag up before setting it upright on the bed, bringing the long strap to fasten at the bottom before looking up at Elsa.

"You sure this is how you want to travel?" she asked, giving Elsa a skeptical look.

"Yes," Elsa said, looking down at the bag. "Though it looked much less daunting when I had packed it."

The maids giggled.

"You wouldn't have liked what you had packed tomorrow morning, your majesty," Agnes said, smiling.

"How do I wear it?" Elsa asked, stepping forward towards the bed.

"Across your body," Agnes said, picking up the bag and helping to lower it over Elsa's head.

Anna watched in amusement, suppressing a snort when Elsa took a step backwards when Agnes let go of the bag's weight.

"What on earth did you three put in here?" Elsa asked, turning to look incredulously at the maids.

"Oh leave them be, Elsa," Anna said. "Let's go see you off, I'm hungry."

Elsa smiled, and they left the room, winding their way out of the castle and down to the docks. They stood together, looking around at the bustling town at the close of the summer evening, smiling at villagers as they made their way past them.

Elsa adjusted the bag on her shoulder, situating the bag on her hip.

"You sure that's all you want?" Anna asked.

Elsa looked at her, smiling. "You know I can make most things that I need, this will be more than enough, promise. I could always just stay here, if you think I can't manage on my own," the elder sister replied, giving Anna her best serious face before bursting into giggles. Elsa hadn't mastered the art of the Mother Face.

Anna grinned back, looking around. "How are you going to get there? Walk the whole way?"

Elsa gave her a wicked smile. "Oh, I know my way, don't you worry about me. Now, go back inside and find your family. I'm sure Kristoff is looking for you! I'll see you in a week," she said, leaning over to give Anna a hug.

Anna hugged her back. "Have fun, you need it," she said, releasing her sister before turning to hurry back inside. She hadn't been kidding about being hungry. She did, however, glance over her shoulder to see Elsa running around the surface of the port, tiny patches of ice forming beneath her feet.

"Well, she was right about one thing," a voice said from right in front of her. Anna jumped and screamed, holding her stomach. She looked up to see Kristoff standing in front of her, looking a little worried and glancing between her face and her stomach.

She slapped his chest a few times. "Don't scare me like that!"

He laughed nervously. "Sorry, didn't mean to. So, I take it the talk went well?"

She smiled up at him. "I'll tell you over supper."

He gave her a look, a quirk of his lips and a half lidded look of his eyes. "Supper, was half an hour ago, my love."

She pushed past him, heading back towards the castle. "Well, I had important matters of the crown to attend to. And Cook saved me a plate."

Kristoff laughed behind her, taking a few strides to catch up and wrap an arm around her waist. "Important matters of the crown?"

"Mmm, yes, very important."

"Like what?"

She pointed towards the castle, continuing her steady pace. "Supper first, Elsa recap second."

He laughed again, bending to kiss the top of her head as they made their way back to the palace.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Alrighty, I'm glad to see so many of you are excited about the idea of the Full Story here. I am going to try and do updates as much as possible, but as I said, I have family down visiting for the month of January so I do have that which I'm trying to balance out. So, I'm sorry if the updates aren't as often as they were before but I do have a valid reason!**_

_**I went back and forth all day yesterday on if I was going to expand even more on Jack and Elsa first meeting on not. As of right now, I'm happy with how it is but that doesn't mean that I can't do that in the next chapter if enough of you don't cry foul after reading this. I don't want to redo too many of the plot points from Frostbitten and make this seem overloaded, if that makes sense.**_

_**Comments are always welcome, as I love you all dearly if you don't know that by now :).**_

_**Enjoy! 3 Aria**_

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Anna leaned back against the large, heavy worktable in the kitchen casually picking pieces of food off her plate while she chatted and laughed with Kristoff, retelling the pre-dinner events to him when Olaf strolled in, his wide eyes and big smile on display.

"Hi," he said, standing before them, his big goofy smile frozen in place. "What's so funny?"

Anna smiled down at him, popping a piece of meat into her mouth and chewing as Kristoff chuckled. She had just told him about the maids teasing them for their lack of knowledge on what one might need for a trip.

"Anna was just telling me about the little trip Elsa decided to take up to her ice castle for a few days," Kristoff supplied to the small snowman, stealing a piece of carrot off Anna's plate.

"Hey!" she said, pointing her fork at him. "You already had yours."

She speared a few pieces of carrot herself and ate them. "I'm eating for two here," she said around the carrots, grinning as she did so.

Kristoff chucked again, reaching behind her and holding up a big raw carrot for her.

"There are plenty more for you to dine on, my princess."

Anna snorted, swallowing her food quickly and giving him a look. "Stop it, you'll make me choke!"

Kristoff grinned at her.

"Wait, wait. Elsa went off on a vacation? Alone? Where?" Olaf asked, looking between the couple.

Anna, still giggling, responded. "Just up to the Ice Castle, I'm sure she'll be back in a couple days after she gets stir crazy. You know how Elsa is. I'm just happy she's taking some time for herself at all."

Anna stabbed at more items on her plate moving away when Kristoff reached for another carrot and giggling, admonishing him for trying to steal food. Kristoff just grinned, stepping close and wrapping an arm around her while she finished.

"I will go!" Olaf declared, causing Anna to stop her quest of stabbing her food and look down at him.

"What?" she said, raising a brow.

"I'll go up to the castle, to Elsa. I'll keep her company, and we'll talk. And we'll play. And whatever else you do in a secluded castle in the mountains alone together," he said, his goofy grin widening that much more.

Anna and Kristoff looked at each other.

"Olaf I-" Kristoff began.

"I don't think that-" Anna started.

"It will be perfect!" Olaf shouted, throwing his little arms wide, one of them popping out of his body and clattering to the stone floor of the kitchen loudly.

All three of them looked at the small wooden stick that served as his arm before Anna made a little noise of discomfort, grabbed the lower part of her stomach and set her plate down quickly.

"Oh, my. Kristoff, handle this. The little one has declared it time to use the facilities," she said, hurrying from the kitchen.

Olaf and Kristoff turned to watch her go, Kristoff's arm coming up to follow her retreating form before he turned to look down at Olaf, still missing his arm.

"Handle what?"

Kristoff sighed, moving to pick up the arm before kneeling down before Olaf and looking at him, handing the stick-arm to him and pausing, thinking about his words carefully before smiling at Olaf.

"Olaf, I think Elsa wants to be alone right now," he said, watching Olaf shove his arm back into place in his snow torso.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Kristoff said, scratching the back of his head. "I don't think she wants anyone coming up to the Ice Castle for a little while."

Olaf pondered this, his smile fading. Kristoff bit his lip, knowing that Olaf never took advice the way that it was meant to be taken. He leaned back a moment later when Olaf perked up, jumping up slightly and grinning up at Kristoff.

"Okay! I can do that!" Olaf said.

"You, you can?" Kristoff said, wary of the snowman's easy agreement.

"Yep!" Olaf said, turning around and marching out of the room. "I'll just go tomorrow morning! Then she will have ALL night to herself!"

Kristoff held up a hand to Olaf's quickly retreating form, whispering to the empty room, "that-that wasn't what I meant."

Anna came back into the room a few moments later, picking her plate back up and beginning to eat the remaining food with gusto.

"Goodness I'm hungry," she said around a large piece of potato. She frowned, looking down at Kristoff still down on the ground, his hands on his bent knee. "What are you doing? Where's Olaf?"

Kristoff stood back up, giving Anna a cautious smile.

"Well, he decided not to run up there after her tonight," he started, leaning against the table beside her.

"Good, I knew you could handle it," she said, spearing the last of the meat.

"He's going tomorrow morning."

Anna paused, the chunk of meat halfway to her mouth and looked at him. He put his hands up in a defensive position before she sighed, setting her fork back down.

"Well," she said, looking down at her plate. "Hopefully she doesn't get too upset at him coming to visit. Maybe he can go fetch supplies that she didn't realize she needed. She hardly took anything with her, remember?"

Kristoff released a held breath, causing Anna to giggle a little before sighing, setting her plate aside.

"Let's go tuck Erik and Lisbet in, and then we can continue that book!"

Kristoff chuckled, following his wife out of the kitchen. She'd been helping him more and more with his reading skills over the years, so much so that they could now curl up and read a book aloud with each other, something that she loved to do. They'd recently acquired this new volume a few months ago, and Anna was loving it.

He curled an arm around her waist as they ascended the stairs and headed towards their large room of apartments. Usually, the children would have spelt in the nursery but Anna had insisted on renovating a large set of quarters into their rooms. It had required removing a few walls, and hiring more than a few carpenters, but Anna loved keeping her whole family close to her. She turned her head into his side as they turned into the open door of their quarters.

Ahead of them, sat the large sitting room, with a nice cozy fire crackling in the fireplace behind the protective grate against the back wall, the dark brick wall displaying carefully hung decorations with a string hung along the bottom with children's drawings. Before the fire sat an assortment of wooden toys and soldiers, dolls with yarn hair and piles of fabric for clothes were strewn over the large black and red area rug. Arranged around the fire and the rug were several chairs and a long sofa. A writing desk sat off to the side, a blanket draped over the cushioned chair.

Anna walked over to the pair of doors to the left side of the room. One door was open, emitting a cheery soft light from the room's candles and fireplace, the other was closed. She had intentionally ordered the other room to be closed as it held all of the items for the new baby, the same things that Erik and Lisbet had used when they were but tiny babes. When the new babe arrived, he would sleep in the other room, so he wouldn't wake the older children. In a few more years, the baby room, assuming that she didn't have any more children, would be converted into a room for one gender and the current room would be converted from the young child's room it was now for the other. She still wondered what the babe inside her was, boy? Girl? She didn't really care, she just wanted a healthy baby.

She and Kristoff entered the room, smiling at the gleeful greetings of, "Mama! Papa!" by Erik and Lisbet. Their little girl with her blonde braids sat on her bed, a large doll with sewn blue eyes and yarn red hair sat in her arms while Erik jumped up on the floor, pulling a piece of parchment decorated with colored chalk drawings from today's events.

"Look papa, I made you a drawing to show you what happened today!" he said, running to Kristoff, a happy grin on his face.

Kristoff bent down, holding a hand out to look at the drawing, smiling as Erik pointed at the figures and explained what was happening. Anna smiled at Marta, who was giving the fire a final few strokes and adding another log before turning to curtsey.

"Ma'am," she said.

"Thank you, Marta. That will be all for the evening. We will see you in the morning," Anna said with a smile.

"Good night, little ones," Marta said with a smile towards Lisbet, patting Erik's head as she left the room.

Anna eased herself down onto Lisbet's small bed, groaning a little and holding her large belly. "Sorry I missed supper little one, I was helping Aunt Elsa."

Lisbet smiled up at her. "Did she do more ice magic?" she asked enthusiastically.

Anna smiled back, leaning over and grabbing one of Lisbet's small hands. "She did! And you know what, she ran all the way across the port on little ice patches she made! She's going up to the mountain for a few days on a little vacation."

Lisbet's eyes grew wide, imagining her magical aunt and her amazing powers. Lisbet loved watching Elsa's power, even if it was just to cast a few snowflakes, it made the little girl light up with sheer joy and excitement. Anna's arms moved, tucking the blankets around Lisbet and moving her doll to tuck under her arm. Lisbet yawned, Anna smiled at her little girl's heavy eyelids.

"It's time for bed little one, plenty of time for more fun tomorrow," Anna said, leaning forward and kissing her forehead.

She sat back, turning to see Kristoff had worked Erik into his bed, the little boy still talking non-stop about his day, his little arms moving for emphasis before he to yawned. Anna looked back down again, running a finger along Lisbet's cheek as the little girl feel off to sleep. She stood, taking the few steps over to Erik's bed, looking down as he finished his tale.

"…and then, mama came in and I gave her the flowers, and she loved them. Didn't you mama?" he said, turning his head to look up at her.

"Of course I did darling. How couldn't I love flowers from one of my favorite men?"

Erik's smile was huge as he looked back down at Kristoff.

"Very good job for taking care of mama then," Kristoff said, pulling Erik's covers over him. "But now, it's time for you to sleep."

"But I'm not," Erik started, moving his small hands up to cover his mouth while he yawned. "Tired," he finished."

"Your eyes say otherwise, little knight," Anna said, bending over to kiss his forehead. Erik had declared earlier that week that he was going to be a knight when he grew up. The declaration changed every week or so.

Erik grinned up at her, snuggling down into his pillow. Kristoff stood, setting his arm around Anna's shoulder and leading her from the room, pulling the door shut behind him. Anna sighed happily, leaning into Kristoff's chest as they walked across the room, Kristoff bending slightly to pick up the copy of 'Frankenstein' from the table beside the sofa before they entered their own room.

Kristoff and Anna's room sat at one end, with a large bed piled covered in furs and blankets standing proudly against the back wall. A large carved cedar trunk stood heavily against the foot of the bed, piled with miscellaneous items like baby items, a dress, mismatched socks and shoes, a leather bag. A mirrored dressing table piled with beauty items sat on Anna's side, various colored ribbons hanging from the sides of the mirror for herself and for Lisbet. A sturdy chest of drawers stood opposite the dressing table, with it's dainty green cushioned stool for her to sit on. The masculine and feminine of the room carefully balancing each other out much like Anna and Kristoff did.

Kristoff followed Anna to her side of the bed, silently undoing the row of buttons down the back of her dress while she held her long red braid out of the way while he did so, running his hand up her bare back when he was done. This late in her pregnancy, and this far into summer, she didn't bother with undergarments. It was hard enough dealing with getting dressed in the morning, and with being as hot as she usually was she found that having less clothing was usually better. She smiled back at him, stepping away and picking up her nightgown. He stepped around the bed, stripping his clothes away for his own night clothes before they both slipped under the covers, snugging close together.

Anna picked up the leather-bound book with a happy little squeal admitting from her, bouncing a little on the bed. Kristoff leaned over and moved the candle-lit lantern on the table next to him to give her a little better light as she opened the book to their marker, moving the black ribbon attached to the book out of the way and taking a deep breath.

"Chapter 11," she said. ""It is with considerable difficulty that I remember the original era of my being…"


	3. Chapter 3

_**So, it was pointed out to me last night by a friend of a friend that I had made a HUGE age miscalculation with Erik and Lisbet, and I kinda feel really dumb now. SO, to fix this in the easiest way that I can without going back and eliminating one of the children, they are now twins. I never said how old they are, so I'm telling you now. They are just under 2 year old fraternal twins. They are also extremely precocious for the way I've been writing them .. Sorry! The timeline that I have goes that I have the events of Frozen happening around Summer of 1820, Anna and Kristoff marrying March of 1821, Erik and Lisbet being born in December of 1821. Anna is at the beginning of her 8**__**th**__** month at this point in the story. I'm hoping that it's the biggest plot mistake that I've made, the other that was pointed out to me I can fix with some explaining throughout the series here, which you will see.**_

_**Also, I apologize for the updates being a little slower than with Frostbitten. I have family in town for all of January that I haven't been able to see for months (yay military) so I'm taking time to be with them as much as I can, rather than writing for hours on end like I was with Frostbitten. So, I'm not abandoning you guys by any means, I'm merely trying to balance more. If, and I most likely will, I am still writing this in February you will see more frequent updates.**_

_**Enjoy! 3 Aria**_

* * *

Elsa raced up the side of the mountain, a huge smile on her face as she released her reigned in power on the barren environment, leaving rows of icicles hanging on cliff sides and throwing her hands up in the air to let trails of snow flurries flutter back down to the ground in her wake. Let her sister lay out in the garden on warm summer days, Elsa would always prefer winter. She reached the overhang of a cliff, the upper part would lead her to the ice castle. Elsa paused, biting her lip and looking down at the ground before she smiled, aiming her hands down at the ground and laughing to herself as a giant ice platform rose out of the ground, carrying her up to the upper cliff. She grinned back down at the lower slope.

"And Anna was worried I couldn't manage myself," she murmured, smiling before turning around and racing across the snow to her icy staircase.

She paused, placing a hand on the elegant railing and feeling the staircase. It had been three years since she'd been here, three long years since she'd cast the first bits of unchained power. She'd relaxed since her wintery outburst that fateful summer, with impromptu ice skating in the town square, and beautiful ice sculptures for any parties that they were thrown. There were also the little things she did for Erik and Lisbet, their eyes always lighting up with wonder.

Elsa smiled, coming back from her memory and sending a burst of power through the railing. She trusted her power, but wasn't sure what three years of the elements had done to everything. She watched the blue sparks travel up the railing to the top before she took a breath and raced across the icy length, her feet surefooted on the slick surface.

She paused at the foot of the stair leading up to her Ice Palace, grinning at the large mass of icy boulders that sat between the rock face of the mountain and the delicate ice of the palace. Her wild grin softened to a soft motherly smile as she stepped over, clearing her throat. The mass roiled and rolled, turning and rising into a huge shape of an icy giant, it turned and roared down at her. Elsa raised a brow.

"Now, now," she said, crossing her arms. "I created you better than that I hope."

The creature paused, looking at her and sank back on its haunches, the openings in what appeared to be it's mouth turning up in a sort of smile.

"That's better," Elsa said, nodding at him. "Well, I'm certainly pleased to know that you are here to help guard the place, I shall be staying for a few days."

The creature nodded, shifting to look back out over the direction that she had come from, taking a sentry's watch. Elsa chuckled as she turned to look back over the valley herself.

The sun was low in the sky, close to sunset; she estimated she had maybe an hour of sunlight left if she was lucky. Traces of reds, pinks and purples were starting to streak across the sky, as if the Gods had taking giant paintbrushes and mingled them with the clouds. She saw a tiny plume of steam rising from a house.

"Oaken's," she said to herself, with a smile, noting it was likely from the sauna.

Taking one last long look over the valley, she turned and pushed on the doors to the palace, her wild grin coming back into place as what she was able to see looked the same as when she had left it.

She stood in the doorway for several long moments, the sunlight streaming in from behind her while her eyes adjusted to the darker interior before taking a few slow steps inside, looking up and around at her magical retreat. She trailed a hand on the wall beside her as she walked, letting her power flow out of her, frost patterns erupting up the walls like wallpaper patterns. She flicked her other wrist towards the closed balcony door at the end of the room, opening it and allowing more light to flood into the room.

"Let's make the most of the daylight," she murmured, still looking around at the empty room.

She sighed happily, pulling the strap of her bag up over her head and setting it down on the floor beside her. She had no furniture; it wasn't something you really thought of right away when you went somewhere. Where you would put your things, where you would sit, where you would sleep. She was so focused, once Anna had convinced her it was a good idea, about getting here that she had forgotten that there wasn't anything here.

'I'll just have to make some,' she thought to herself, absent-mindedly rubbing her left thumb over her right knuckles.

She glanced up at the chandelier, frowning. She'd sworn she'd heard something, a chuckle? She shook her head, her mind was playing tricks on her, and she was perfectly alone. And it would be a blissful, wonderful week alone.

'I'll start with a table, and a chair,' she thought, flicking her hands out in front of her against one of the walls, watching as the items came into view. Nothing terribly fancy, just practical. 'A place to sit, and a place to put my things, perfectly logical.'

She turned, about to grab her bag when she stopped. 'No,' she thought to herself. 'I should make everything first, then unpack. I don't know how much sunlight I'll have left.'

She glanced upstairs, swallowing. The last time she'd been up there, was when Hans and his men had cornered and captured her, like some terrible wild animal. She'd received dozens of letters from his eldest brother Johnathan, the King of the Southern Isles, and never responded. He'd sent letters, couriers with gifts of gold, jewels, animals. She'd returned them all. He wanted her on his good side, and why not? She could conjure ice with a mere thought, a good friend to have during a drought. She banished the thoughts, she wouldn't worry herself over those little things this week. She had a week to herself, she would worry about Johnathan next week, as well as her plethora of suitors.

She worked her way up the stairs, determined to enter the room with a brave face and instead, found herself confused as she walked inside the room that held some bad memories for her. She'd remembered casting the harsh, jagged chunks of ice at the soldiers and the beautiful chandelier she'd made coming to crash in the middle of the floor when they'd come to take her. But, there was nothing when she entered. No jagged ice, no shattered ice from the chandelier, just the angry red color from her magic while she had casted her ice spells.

"I don't remember doing this," she murmured, more to herself, wondering if she'd lost her mind. "Hans dragged me out of here and into the dungeon before I could do anything more in here."

She trailed off, still looking around, wondering if maybe the palace had recovered itself after she'd left, or what had happened. She took a breath, and tapped her foot hard on the ground.

'Time for some changes in here, need to make it look different,' she thought, as icy trails shot towards the walls, changing their color from the harsh red to a soft pink.

She spread her hands apart, causing the doorway that lead out to the balcony area to lengthen and reach taller, more sunlight spilling into the room. She moved her hands, pushing out at the wall and making the whole room she stood in bigger, more spacious. She lowered her hands, looking around at the large empty room, her brow furrowed in thought.

'Okay, bedroom. What do I need for a bedroom?' she thought, flicking a wrist towards the largest wall. 'Obviously a bed.'

She watched, her hands extended as the large piece formed before her, the frame solidly sitting before her with a large headboard extending up the wall and out over the bed with an overhang. She raised her hands to the canopy and flicked her fingers, smiling as heavy fat flakes of snow began to fall rapidly from the overhang.

'Instant bedclothes,' she thought, smiling at herself and watching as the flakes accumulated quickly. When enough had formed, she stopped the snow shower and covered the snow blanket with an icy sheet, much like her own cape to contain the snow.

'What else do I need,' she thought.

'Bed table, for books,' she flicked a wrist, the ice quickly sprouting up the small table beside the bed.

'Dresser and chair, to feel like home,' she flicked her wrists again, her familiar furniture pieces coming to life before her in icy replicas.

She smiled at the room, turned and hurried back down the stairs to unpack her back. She still had some sunlight and needed to light candles while she could still see. Otherwise, that would be an adventure all in itself.

"If ice furniture wouldn't melt so quickly in the other castle, I'd use it there. Think of how much money it would save," she muttered aloud, as if anyone were around to hear her as she skipped down the last few stairs and over to scoop up her bag.

She carried the bag over to the table, setting it down carefully and unlacing the top before she began to carefully unpack the contents. She set the fire starter off to the side, carefully thickening the ice where she sat it on, before folding back the blanket and pulling out the tins of food that were tucked below it, warm from the hot coals inside fire starter.

"What am I talking about, everyone already thinks I'm the half-crazed Queen, that's just what I need to suggest. "Everyone, I'm going to start making our furniture from ice!" Yes, that would go over marvelously," she muttered to herself sarcastically, removing articles of clothing and her books, carefully setting the volumes on a skirt she had no intentions of wearing.

The sheaf of parchment was set on a top, the ink and pens on top of it with the box of candles beside it. The tins of food tossed randomly around the table. Lastly she pulled the large blanket out, looking at it for a moment before setting it across the back of the chair and looking in the bag, checking that she got everything out of it. Satisfied that she had, she tossed the bag under the table where it wouldn't get underfoot and set about organizing everything on the table into neat rows and stacks.

She took a step back, surveying the paltry few items that she had setting on the table. The fire starter with a box of candles, a decent amount of food and fresh water, though she could easily make more water, with a nice dinner in the largest, 5 novels and her favorite childhood book, a sheaf of parchment, a pot of ink and 3 pens, a few changes of clothes and a blanket.

"Dear me, maybe I should have listened to Anna afterall. I didn't bring very me with me. I'll be bored silly tomorrow," she muttered aloud again, biting her lip. She was slightly concerned about talking to herself so much, though wondering more if Oaken sold books in his little shop. Or how upset Anna would be if she went back for more things. Giving a mental shrug, she decided to worry about that tomorrow, seeing as she still had a little daylight left.

'I suppose that didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would,' she thought, glancing at the shadows on the ground. 'Or I underestimated how much time I had left.'

She stepped forward again, picking up her half dozen books, looking over the titles before smiling at her beloved childhood book. Even after the event with Anna, Elsa had treasured this small tome, with it's happy endings, beautiful princesses and dashing men. She thought back to her drawer full of marriage proposals, the faceless masses of men pledging gold, land, and resources for her hand in a loveless, faithless union. It certainly wasn't the dream that she had grown up with while she was locked away in her room, looking over these stories with a wishful heart.

She had to smile then. "Well then, I guess I'm back to my earlier problem, perhaps I can find a solution in here," she said aloud, perhaps speaking to some mystical phantom or spirit, she wasn't sure.

It certainly made her feel a little better, being completely alone didn't sound so great once she was up here. She set the other larger volumes down, selecting the storybook and tossing the thick blanket to the floor. She knelt down, arranging herself carefully.

"Men in fairy tales are always perfect, let's see if I can find a suitor in here!" she laughed at the thought, as if such a solution could be so easy. She opened the pages, feeling her lips break into a huge smile like they had every time she'd opened the book as a child.

"'The Little Mermaid.' Unlikely, lots of death, and he gets married, so that takes him out of the running,' she declared, flipping through the pages slowly, their worn edges showing the years of love she had paid the book, their colorful illustrations still calling out to her.

She reached the next story. "Hmmm, 'The Master-Thief,' I don't think he'd be a very good choice for King. Thievery is generally frowned upon, especially by those that have to handle the crown jewels," she said, as she moved through more of the pages to the next story.

She used to have the stories memorized in order, but it had been so many years now since she'd flipped through that she'd forgotten. It was a thrill, a tiny mystery to her now as she turned the pages to see whose story would be next.

"'Hansel and Gretel,' well, my dear, if I'm not mistake, you are still a little boy and I'm looking for a man," she said, sighing, and flipping through the pages once more. "This might be harder than I thought."

Her hand paused when she reached the next tale, her wide grin that had faded creeping up the edges of her cheeks again.

"Oh, I'd forgotten about you dear friend. Jack Frost, you're just like me," she said, running a hand over the illustrated picture in the book.

She sat there on the ground for long silent minutes, her lower lip bit between her teeth as she read through his story, and a half grin turning up her cheeks. She had always loved this story, it was her favorite and it was nestled in the middle of the book. She felt like it was a treasure when she read it, seeing the pictures of the tale of the man that was just like her, the embodiment of winter. She'd read the story, over and over again in her room, staring out her window and hoping that he might come and carry her away. As she reached the end of the tale, she leaned the book down, looking up at the darkened empty space of the room before her.

'I should have lit the candles,' she thought, watching as her own shadow was long across the floor and growing longer by the tiniest bit each moment. She sighed and picked herself up off the floor, carefully setting the book aside while she worked a candle from the box before fumbling open the latch on the fire starter. A small flame leaped out at the air when she did so, greedily eating up the new oxygen source before settling back down. The small coals at the bottom of the lantern glowed red still as she carefully stuck the candle in, the wax melting and hissing before the wick lit and she withdrew the stick, the yellow flame burning brightly in the dim room. She looked around for a place to set down the candle, realizing that she had no place to put it and frowned.

"Maybe it is nicer to live in a place where I don't have to make everything I need if I need something," she muttered, pulling her hand up over the table to create a candleholder for her to place the candle into. That done, she picked up the book again and turned back to the now marginally lit room.

"Alrighty Jack, let's see what you might look like then," she said, looking back down at the illustration in the book. She studied it for a moment, quirking her lips before looking up. Her Jack wouldn't look like the one in the book.

"First, I think you'd be tall," she said, waving a hand out in front of her to form the tall shape of a man.

"Perhaps a little on the thin side, being that you're the embodiment of Winter," she continued, her hands moving down to shape the slim figure of his body. She moved to set the book down as she honed in on defining the ice sculpture's figure.

She fashioned him in a military suit, one much like what her father used to wear, his arms tucked neatly behind his back. Long legs, long arms, long masculine torso that she defined up to a sharp stubborn chin, soft cheekbones. She felt herself smiling as she let his hair fly out wild and tousled, like the wind had had a say in it's styling.

"And hair, like that," she muttered.

"And blue eyes, like mine," she declared, moving her fingers in circles as the ice deepened it's color to a matching blue.

A flourish of her hand gave her ice creation a smirk of a smile, and she stopped, her hands slowly coming down beside her as she smiled.

"There! Jack, there you are. You're real now. Hello, Jack. I've been waiting for you," she said, taking a step forward, a silly grin on her face, half expecting a response.

"Hello to you too," came a deep voice from behind her. "Not a bad job, thought you did a terrible job on my chin, if I do say so myself."

She whirled around, her hands coming up to defend herself. Who had snuck in behind her? She hadn't seen or heard anyone, except that phantom chuckle, but she'd written that off as her imagination. She stared wide eyed at the man before her. He stood, barefoot, and holding a long crooked wooden staff in one hand. He wore long brown trousers with strips of fabric wrapped tightly at the bottom to hold them shut. Over his shoulders, he wore a dark blue circle cape that had parted to show a simple white linen shirt underneath. He was dressed very simply, like a shepherd or a village boy.

"Who are you? Where did you come from?" she asked, he didn't look like anyone she'd ever seen from Arendelle.

He blinked at her, staring a little. "I'm Jack Frost," he replied slowly, as if he wasn't entirely used to talking to people.

She continued to stare at him, looking him over before taking a brief moment to glance at her ice sculpture. The ice was still whole, still as she had created it in the dim candlelight just a few mere moments before. He grinned at her, she got a little nervous at that.

"I'm Jack Frost," he repeated at her. "The REAL Jack Frost, not your little ice sculpture there. Though, I must admit I'm quite impressed."

She didn't move, watching as his face broke into a big smile and he leaned forward on that staff of his. She cautious looked around the room before looking back at him, his big, blue eyes studying her.

"You-you're really him? I'm not just dreaming, or having some weird madness?" she asked, noticing the frost patterns that decorated his cape and trailed up his pants, the same frost she had done when she had gotten here. She slowly lowered her hands down, still keeping her guard raised though.

He winked at her, still grinning.

"The one, and the only. I was flying by and saw the place, thought I'd stop by and check it out. Though, after having met you, and seen your work, I should have expected nothing less."

She watched him as he kicked off from the ground and floated over to the table, taking a handful of the unlit candles from the box and flying up to the chandelier above them. He carefully fitted each candle into the holder. She'd forgotten about that, she could have done that earlier and had much more light that just the one candle that was burning now. He glanced back down at her, still smiling as he went back to the table for the lit candle. She couldn't help but stare at him, it was like having something from your childhood, something you've only ever dreamed about come to life before you. Something that you've wished about for some many evenings, on so many flowers and so many stars and finally, there he was, in the flesh. Well, she assumed in the flesh.

"I thought we might like a little more light in here. One little candle isn't going to do us much good, don't you think?" he was saying, in that melodious deep voice of his as he reached the unlit candles with the lit one, carefully circling around as the room slowly lit more and more.

She finally found her tongue again. "Wh…what do you want?" she asked, mentally kicking herself for her stutter.

Had she unknowingly called upon some evil spirit? Had she invoked some curse? She wasn't sure if she could handle many more curses or bad luck in her life.

He dipped down in his slow pass while lighting the candles to look at her. "Want? Why do you think I want anything?"

"Well," she started, twisting her hands together nervously. "I mean, you're a legend, a myth that's hundreds of years old-"

"Hey!" he interrupted her, lighting the last of the candles. "I'm like 70, maybe 80. I can't quite remember," he fitted the lit candle into an empty spot and moved back in the air, looking around at the much better lit room before landing on the floor and walking over to her.

"And besides, if I DID want something, what would you be giving?"

She stopped breathing for a moment, feeling her eyes widen while she stared at him for a long moment, the tension thick between them. She swallowed and stepped back, averting her eyes and shivering a little. She may have created what she thought was a wonderful creation of a man with her ice sculpture, but it didn't compare to what was standing before her now.

'What am I thinking?' she thought. 'This can't be happening, this doesn't happen.'

She picked up her book, closing it and hugging it to her chest, shaking her head.

"I almost can't believe this is happening," she said, shaking her head. "You're not supposed to really be real, you're just supposed to be a-"

"Don't!" he said, flying forwards towards her, pulling the edge of the book down a little. "Don't say that, please."

She blinked at him, looking up in surprise and feeling herself grow curious about him. She got the sense that he was curious about her as well.

"Why?" she asked, relaxing a little. "What are you really?"

He stared at her for a long moment, both of their blue eyes locked together before he sighed, turning away. He leaned his staff against the table and threaded his long fingers through his unruly white locks. He took a few steps, considering.

"It's a strange story," he finally said, turning back to look at her over his shoulder. "The short answer is I'm a spirit. I'm Jack Frost, only able to be seen by those who believe in me. To everyone else, I'm invisible."

She stared at him for a long moment, considering so many things before she swallowed and made a decision. She could believe him, and talk to him for now, after all no one was up here to see her, and it might just be the night of her life, getting to talk to her favorite childhood fairy tale. Maybe this trip wouldn't be a total waste of time for her.

"I have a fairly strange one myself," she responded, settling back down on the ground where her blanket was with one of the packed tins of biscuits.

He smiled at her. "I'm sure you do."

She pulled open the top of the tin, considering him for a moment before she took a breath and a chance. "Shall we both share?" she asked, holding out the opened tin of biscuits.

He looked at her with a curious expression on his face and a strange look in his eyes before he smiled again, the wide grin breaking over his whole face and he pranced back over to her, spinning around on the ice before sitting down before her and taking one of the offered biscuits.

"I'm assuming that you aren't cold?" he asked, taking a bite of the chocolate covered confection.

She smiled at him, removing on herself and nodding. "Correct, the blanket is just for cushioning."

He smiled, popping the rest of the biscuit in his mouth before grabbing a second. "So who goes first?"

"I believe you just volunteered."

He scowled before chuckled. "Fair enough."


	4. Chapter 4

_**I need some good cover art for this work, if anyone knows a good piece that will work, or is an artist that wants to do a little piece for the cover piece let me know! If it's not your work, let me know. Credit must be given where credit is due. Especially when my artistic talent is little better than stick figures, so I'll just stick to writing. You all say that I'm pretty good at it. If you are interested, email me at ArialeneHexagra yahoo dot com.**_

_**Enjoy! 3 Aria**_

* * *

They sat on the floor together for hours, sharing the tin of biscuits until only crumbs remained. He told her about how he'd awoken inside of a lake and with only the Man in the Moon speaking to him. She listened with a sense of familiarity as he spoke of how lonely he'd been for the past decades, bringing fun to so many people who didn't believe in him; so many snowball fights with no whisper of thanks. She smiled, imagining with a wistful heart as he spoke of all the wonderful places he'd gone to all over the world, all the children he'd mischievously coaxed into playing together whilst bundled up for the cold winter day he'd wrought on their town. Even after knowing him for just a short period of time, she could imagine his bright eyes sparkling as he flew along, frosting the area behind him while adults cursed and children cried out with glee.

"You can't be responsible for ALL the winter though," she'd asked him, leaning back against her ice chair while he had sprawled out on his stomach.

"No," he said, smiling. "I mean, Mother Nature does what she will, I just get my hand involved as much as I can. It's too much fun not to!"

She shook her head. "This is all just so amazing."

He grinned at her, watching as she stood up with a graceful ease and walked out onto the balcony, the moon shining down on the valley now.

"So, I've just been alone, traveling the world, doing my duties and never being noticed," he said, coming out behind her. "That's my story, that's always been the story. Until now, until just now."

She turned and stared at him, not sure what to make of that. She'd been the first one who could ever see him, she could hardly fathom that. It had been hard enough for her being alone as long as she had been as a child, she couldn't imagine practically a lifetime alone. Well, not alone. He'd said that he'd always been surrounded by people, they just couldn't see him. That must have been heartbreaking for him.

She shook her head a little, realizing that he had spoken.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," she asked, blushing a little.

He smiled softly at her, leaning on his staff. "I asked you what your name was, you haven't told me yet. I heard you muttering that you were a Queen earlier, but I am hoping that you have a name to go with that."

She felt her blush deepen.

"E-Elsa," she said, smiling at him. "And yes, I'm the Queen. Of Arendelle."

"Okay then, Elsa," he said, holding his hand out to her for a moment. "What is your story? Queen of Ice and Snow, people must love you for that."

She scoffed before she could stop herself. He rose an eyebrow at this.

"I-I don't know," she started, shaking her head.

He put a hand on his hip, smiling at her. "We had a deal, I told you my story. Time for you to pay up."

She bit her lip, turning away and taking a few steps.

"It's hard," she said finally. "I mean, yours doesn't seem like it was the easiest. But, at least you have fun."

He stayed silent at this, just watching her as he leaned against his staff while she worried her hands together as she stood next to the railing. She started to speak a few times, biting her lip between her teeth each time as she didn't quite know how to begin. How did she tell someone, even a spirit like Jack, about her life? About the long lonely days locked in her room? About the terror she had about hurting her sister? About her wintery event three years ago, where her heart had nearly shattered when she thought she'd lost Anna? He broke the tense silence some long minutes later, a strange wry grin on his face.

"I think you need to relax," he said, stepping forward and flipping the staff around in a practiced circle. "Have a little fun."

"Fun?" she asked, turning back to him, a note of caution in her voice. "What kind of fun?"

She felt herself gulp and her breath quicken as he looked at her, that grin on his face spreading into a smile.

"There is so much we can do!" he said, spinning up a few feet into the air before coming back down on the icy platform.

"Like perhaps, a tour around?" he said, taking another few steps towards her.

She glanced back down at the moonlit valley, the slow glow from the clear sky lighting softly across the whole land. She gasped a little as she looked back to see him standing just before her. He watched her for a long moment, those blue eyes of his dancing with mischief and fun while he studied her. She swallowed and felt herself glance back at the beautiful valley, felt her shoulders relax just a slightly bit and then his arm was around her waist.

She gasped as her feet left the ground, scrambling as she tightened her arms around his neck, her neck craned about as she looked around, seeing the ground fall away as he lifted them away. He turned and smiled at her, nodding his head for her to look at the view.

"Have you ever flown with someone before?" she asked, grabbing a fistful of his cloak.

"If no one has ever seen me before now, what makes you think I could have flown someone?" he retorted, smiling at her and spinning around in the air.

She squealed, tightening her grasp and sighing a little as she felt his arm around her tighten.

"Oh stars," she breathed, finally, slowly, moving her head to look ahead of her as they flew through the valley, dipping low to the treetops. "Please don't drop me."

He chuckled in her ear. "Oh, sweet, I'd never drop you."

Slowly, very slowly, as she was sure that she wouldn't fall and the soft glow of moonlight in the valley calmed her, Elsa relaxed. She carefully took one hand away from Jack's neck, pointing out things to him as they flew along, telling him about them. He listened, just listened as she talked on and on about her kingdom, the pride that she held as a ruler evident with every new thing she pointed out. They circled over the palace, where she told him of the history of the building and various little facts about the place.

"What was it like growing up in a huge palace like that?" he asked her, circling so that they landed on one of the upper most spires of the palace, looking over the dark, moonlit port.

She leaned against him, his arm still wrapped around her waist as it held her up the slated roof and she sighed.

"Not as wonderful as you might think," she said, staying silent for a long moment after that.

"Well, go on," he encouraged, scratching his finger at the roof with his hand not holding her.

She swallowed.

"Well, when I was very young, until I was around 6, things were relatively normal. Anna, my sister, and I played together like the best of friends. She loved that I had the ice powers. We were forever building snowmen, throwing snowballs, and just, being children. We did everything together, it was just, perfect," she said, picking at the bottom of her gown.

She took a deep breath.

"But, one of those days, early in the morning, Anna came and woke me and we ran down to one of the ballrooms to play. I started casting snow, turned the floor to ice and we were having a wonderful time. Then, Anna started jumping from piles of snow, onto new piles of ice and snow that I made. And she was going faster and faster, I couldn't keep up with them so she wouldn't fall. I tripped, slipped on the ice and, and," she said, breathing heavily and looked up over the port, tears in her eyes. "I hit her, with my power. I hit her in the head with the ice power. I was so scared. I thought I had killed her, I screamed for my parents who came running."

She paused, rubbing her hands together again and wiped at her eyes. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"We went to the Trolls, they live in a clearing north of here, the four of us. My father begged for their help. Anna was so cold, like ice. I understood when I was little that people couldn't tolerate the cold like me, that they just didn't understand that it didn't affect me. So I knew it wasn't good for her to be so cold. The troll, he-he saved her, by taking away all her memories of my power. And because of that, I was shut away in my room."

Jack stiffened beside her at this last remark, the slow scratching on the rooftop halting as he looked at her.

"Shut away? They just locked you away?"

She leaned her head back, a bitter smile on her face. "Well, I agreed with them. I was terrified I'd hurt Anna again. Terrified I'd hurt anyone. I knew if I stayed in my room, stayed away from people that I could keep them safe. Father closed the gates to the palace, sent away most of the staff and then it was just the four of us. Every morning, Anna would come and knock on my door, begging me to come out and play, and every day I'd tell her to go away, terrified that I'd hurt her again. Father would come, trying to help me with my powers that he didn't understand. He meant well, I understand that now, he was scared too. Mother would come too, reading me bedtime stories but always sitting just a little too far from me."

She turned her head and looked at him. "And that's how I grew up, until I was eighteen that was the basic routine."

"Eighteen?"

"When my parents died," she said, closing her eyes. "They left to go to a wedding; my mother was so excited about it. I begged them not to go; I was so scared to be alone without them. There was a storm at sea, and their ship was lost. I didn't even go to the funeral; I watched from my window, I was too terrified to leave my room even then. It wasn't until I was 21 that I didn't have a choice anymore, when I was crowned Queen. That was three years ago."

"Well, you seem to be doing quite well now," he said, smiling at her and holding out the ghostly shape of a flower, a lily for her. A chunk of the petal was missing from one of the sides, she smiled, taking it from him.

"I can do little animals better," he commented. "You seem more of one for flowers though."

She ran a finger over the delicate icy edges of the flowers, silent for a moment.

"Things didn't start off very good for me," she finally said, holding the flower up to the moonlight. "One of the very first things that I did after my coronation was freeze the entire town in the middle of summertime, people didn't like that very much."

"That was you?" he exclaimed, staring openly at her. "I told everyone that wasn't me, no one believed me."

She smiled softly. "It all worked out well in the end. Anna and I are on quite good terms now, and I've learned to control the ice powers quite a lot since then."

She held her hands up, watching as snowflakes formed in her palms.

"So what all happened? How did you go all full winter in summer? That's not the easiest thing to do," he asked, looking curiously at her.

She yawned, the tiny snowflakes dropping from her hands as she moved to cover her mouth.

"My goodness, I'm tired. I can't believe I stayed out so late," she said, changing the subject. Jack frowned about to push the subject when she spoke again.

"For someone who claims to know how to have a lot of fun, you are quite dull," she said, lowering her hands and smiling at him.

His mouth fell open in mock offence.

"Why, your majesty," he said, picking up his staff from beside him and lifting them both off into the air. "That sounds like a challenge."

She gasped as the wind rushed by them, the icy flower he'd made slipping from her hands as she scrambled to grasp at him tightly.

"Oh," she exclaimed, turning to watch the icy blossom float away behind them. "The flower."

He smiled at her. "I can make more, though I'm glad you liked it."

She blushed, smiling at him as they rushed on, flying north. She frowned as they flew north of her Ice Palace, the soft glow of the candles still lighting the lower room as they passed overhead.

"We-where are we going?" she asked, looking at him.

"There's a lake just north of here," he responded, turning to grin at her and giving no further explanation.

She opened her mouth, about to demand further answers when he dipped low in the air, the wind still rushing past them and spun them around. He laughed, she bit her lip to keep from crying out.

"Oh, come on! You need to lighten up! Let go!" he said, leveling out before they turned almost vertical as they flew parallel to a waterfall.

She gave him a shocked look before slowly feeling her lips break into a nervous grin, reaching a cautious hand out to touch the rushing water. They reached the top a moment later, the large calm lake reflecting the moonlight and was surrounded by tall, snow topped pine trees. The icy fingers of a glacier stood in a menacing beauty at the far end opposite them, feeding into the lake.

"So that's where the river starts," Elsa murmured, as Jack held them in the air, allowing her to look around.

Slowly, he lowered to the ground, reaching one of those long legs of his out to touch the water's surface; she thought he was trying to test the temperature. As his foot touched the surface, swirling patterns of frost erupted from the surface, spreading out across the lake surface in a delicate dance. Elsa gasped, watching as the frost waltzed with the water's smooth glassy surface as far as she could see. He chuckled beside her, setting her down on the frosted surface, paused for a moment before he laughed and slid away from her, dancing across the lake.

She stood still, watching him and looking down at the fragile surface, not sure she could move. The frost was so pretty, so delicate but sturdy? She'd never considered frost to be strong. She took a cautious step forward, feeling her own power well up inside her as she anticipated the frost to crack, but it didn't. She looked up at him in surprise.

"What," he said, a feigned look of offence on his face. "You think that I would just leave you somewhere unsafe?"

She smiled at him, taking more confident steps now and taking a little spin around. She laughed, throwing her hands up in the air with a flutter of snowflakes falling down around her. Jack laughed behind her, she turned and smiled at him.

"See? Now you're getting it," he said, carefully setting down his staff and reaching out a hand towards her.

She blinked at it, looking up at him curiously.

"Care for a dance?" he asked, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief again.

"I don't dance," she said, taking a step back.

"Don't," he asked, taking a step forward. "Or won't? There isn't anyone here, have a little fun."

He stood still then, silently holding out his hand to her, with his eyes sparkling and a smile on his face as he waited for her next move. She stared at his hand for a long moment, considering.

"But there isn't any music," she finally said, looking up at him.

"Who needs music to dance?" he asked. "Dance because you want to. Dance for the fun of it."

Slowly, she reached her hand out to his, a smile breaking across her lips. As her hand touched his, his grip tightened and he swirled her into his embrace, his other hand coming to rest at her waist.

"Hmm," he said, his lips quirking down. "It's usually more impressive than that."

"What?" she asked him, looking up.

"The dresses," he said, pointing his chin down. "You don't have enough dress."

She blinked at him before tilting her head back and laughing.

"What?" he said, moving his head to start the steps to a dance while she followed with him, still laughing.

"I just, I never thought someone would say something like that to me," she said, grinning at him.

"I've watched dances," he informed her, smiling. "The ladies usually have these big skirts that fluff out when they dance, though, there was a time when they wore contraptions on their hips to make their hips look very wide. Almost like couches."

She watched him, mindful of the steps as they danced across the surface of the lake with a wide smile on her lips.

"I would never have imagined Jack Frost as being a scholar of women's fashion," she said with a chuckle.

He smiled at her, moving his hand so that he could spin her out of his arms, her sparkling blue skirts catching the rays of moonlight beautifully. She laughed, smiling widely.

"Now then," he said, as she spun back to him. "Let's really have some fun."

She was about to ask, as he stepped forward, frost swirls shooting out before his feet he led them forward. He continued to lead them around in their dance, while their feet skipped along the frosted surface of the lake. Elsa didn't think that her lips would ever stop smiling as she danced along with the wintery spirit. She still wondered if this was all just a dream, but if it was, she wasn't sure she wanted to wake up.

Finally, he stopped their dance, bowing to her with a grin before kissing her hand. She kept smiling at him, shaking her head a little.

"Dancing, on a lake," she said. "I would have never."

He released her hand, her eyes following him as he skipped over to grab his staff. He turned and flew back to her, scooping her up in his arms while they both laughed, as he turned to fly back to her Ice Palace.

They landed on the lower balcony, still laughing as he set her down and spun her around again. As she came back up, he moved her around in a short series of dance steps, ending with dipping her down against his knee. As she straightened, she was still smiling.

"Oh, my stars," she said. "I don't think I've ever had that much fun!"

He smiled at her, watching as she walked into the room, the candles now just flickering stubs of wax in the icy holdings above the room.

"Well then," he said, following her. "You need to get out more! Maybe we'll go somewhere else tomorrow! Russia, Scotland, or even the Americas!"

She paused, turning around to face him, her smile fading.

"Oh, no. No, I couldn't do that," she said. "I only have a few days before I have to get back. They can't run things at the palace for very long without me. I'm scared enough for the few days I'm up here that everything will just be in ruins when I return."

He stared at her, silent for a long moment before giving her that sly grin of his.

"Well then," he said. "We shall just have to make the most of it then, won't we?"

She watched him curiously for a long moment, wondering if he'd really given up so easily.

"We?" she asked him, also wondering if he'd really be staying around. Or if she'd be awakening from this dream that she felt she was in. She thought for the hundredth time that night, that if it really was just a dream, it was a dream she'd never forget.

"Of course we," he said, flipping around in the air. "I'm not about to leave you all alone up here, to be plagued with boredom and the like. We shall have fun together!"

She smiled at him, watching as he zoomed up to the chandelier and floated around inspecting the candles. He held up an unlit candle to her, carefully lighting it on one of the dying candles and floating up to the dark room above them, the soft light filling the room. She watched him as he floated back down into the room. He moved around the chandelier, pinching out several of the candles. He turned and grinned at her, spinning down to the floor and dragging his staff across the floor behind him, causing another eruption frost to trail behind him on the icy floor. He stopped in front of her, that huge grin still large on his face.

'I'm scared this is a dream,' she thought. 'He's scared that I'll not like him. He's scared I'll not believe in him, and he'll be all alone again.'

As this latter realization dawned on her, she smiled at him, making a decision. She leaped forward, throwing her arms around him to his surprise.

"Thank you," she said, feeling him tense beneath her hug. "I had fun tonight."

His staff clattered to the floor beside them as his arms wrapped around her.

"You are welcome, Elsa."

She yawned into his chest, pulling back after a moment and covering her mouth with her hand.

"Oh my goodness, I'm sorry. It's been a long day today, I'm tired," she said, smiling up at him. "It has to be quite late, we were out for awhile."

He stepped back, smiling and bent to pick up his fallen staff.

"Well then," he said. "I suppose it's time for you to try out that nice snow bed of yours."

She grinned at him.

"I am excited to see how that works out for me," she admitted, anxious to try out the bed.

Jack followed her gaze up to the upper level before turning back to her with that mischievous grin on his face again.

"Wanna race?" he asked her.

She looked down at him, considering for a moment before smiling.

"No flying."

Jack held up his hands in surrender while he walked over to lean his staff against the wall, still grinning.

"On my honor," he said.

She bit her lip while she looked at him, her eyes darting briefly to the staircase before she broke into a wide smile.

"You're on," she shouted, taking off at a run for the staircase.

"Oh no you don't," he said, turning and following close behind her, both of them laughing as they raced up the stairs.

As they reached the top of the stairs, and Elsa entered the doorframe to the room, Jack lunged forward and grabbed her by the waist. He lunged forward, twisting in the air and he landed on his back on her bed, with her landing on top of him. She was surprised, staring down at him as he grinned up at her.

"I believe," he said, flipping her braid behind her. "That victory is mine."

She blushed, pushing herself up and rolling off of him and onto the bed.

"You grabbed me!" she exclaimed. "That was cheating."

"Ah," he said, turning on his side and propping himself up on an arm to look at her. "You said no flying. I believe, that I did not fly."

She gave him an amused look before turning away to look at her bed, carefully pulling back the paper thin ice cover that she had topped the snow layer with. She carefully slipped her feet inside, smiling to herself as the snow crisped around her; she wiggled further down into the snow and turned slightly and forming the snow into a pillow behind her. When she was done, settling down into further into the bed and looking up at a bemused looking Jack.

"What," she asked him, settling her hands before her and looking around.

He grinned at her. "You look like a cat, settling down for a nap," he said. "Getting all settled into a nice blanket is all. It's cute."

She scowled at him, her smile fading a little bit as she raised her chin up a little up. He laughed, rolling onto his back and standing up, bowing to her.

"Well then, your majesty, I shall leave you to rest then," he said, still smiling at her. "Yell, should you need anything from me. I shall be somewhere around here."

He looked up, gesturing around the palace before turning back to her.

"You don't sleep?" she asked.

"Not usually," he replied, stepping back and leaning against the doorframe. "I don't have to, so usually it's only if I'm bored. Same with eating, I usually only eat sweets. I can if I want to, I just don't need or normally want to."

He smiled at her again.

"I'll see you in the morning Elsa," he said. "We will have more adventures tomorrow."

He waved a hand towards the candle he had carefully placed on her dresser, softly lighting the room. As he did so, the light went out leaving Elsa in darkness as Jack left her to sleep.

Down far below in the palace in Arendelle, most everyone was asleep in the early hours of the morning. Most everyone, except a small white figure who began a long trek northwards with a determined face.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Sorry this one took me awhile to get up and going, I've been busy and, of course, I've been updated Vignettes. I hope everyone has been enjoying everything._**

**_I have gotten a beta/proofreader to help cut back on the errors in my chapters, we will be working on going back through the other chapters and making corrections in the future. So, thanks to EbilMe666._**

**_Also, yes, I do have a Tumblr account, my name is Arialenelove. I AM still looking for a cover art piece for this story, so if you have one, please PM me on here, find me on Tumblr or email me at ArialeneHexagra at yahoo dot com._**

**_Enjoy! ~Aria_**

* * *

Jack slowly went down the stairs, a huge smile on his face. He wasn't alone; not right now at least. The beautiful Queen was sleeping just behind him in her icy chamber. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, his eyes strayed to the tall front doors that she'd come into earlier that evening, like an angel of ice. His hand trailed along the wall, marveling still at all the power and work she had put into this palace of hers. His awe over her craftsmanship had caused him to clean up the upper chamber of the shattered ice and jagged edges, not realizing that it had been the sight of hardship for her.

She had gone around the palace, constructing her furniture and spilling more sunlight across the sparkling ice while he'd marveled at her-everything about her; her beauty, her power, her laughter. Then she'd surprised the hell out of him with that storybook of hers, making that ice sculpture of him. He hadn't ever expected her to believe... to see him.

His heart had skipped a beat when she'd whirled about and faced him, that look of awe, fear and wonder on her face at his jest. He hadn't been able to believe it, that after decades of being alone, of being walked through and thankless snow days that she was there, staring at him. He'd been so afraid that he would mess things up.

He spun around the steps now, grabbing his staff off the wall from it's spot where he'd placed it from their race. He looked around the quiet room now, at the thick blanket still spread out on the floor with the empty tin, tiny crumbs from the biscuits dotting the dark wool. Jack bent and picked up the tin, carefully fitting the lid on the top and carried it to the table, setting it with the others Elsa had arranged.

As he was looking over all the other items she had laid out, the last of the candles that was lit above him died, sending the room into darkness. Jack frowned, sending a scowl up to the dark ceiling. He waited a moment, his eyes adjusting quickly to the darkened environment. He wasn't entirely sure why, he had always just assumed it was just another perk of being a spirit, but he had always been able to see well in the dark.

As everything came back into view, the darkness fading with the moonlight's soft glow coming in through the open balcony doors as his gaze landed on the storybook she had read earlier. His lips quirked in a grin, curiosity gripping him as he wondered what this author had dreamed up about him. He'd read a few stories about him over the years; some telling him as young, some old. He'd read ones that made him all sorts of different nationalities, seen illustrations of himself in a variety of outfits ranging from minimal to extravagant. The only constant, Jack had seen while reading all the stories over the years, was that no two stories was the same and that every different culture had a different representation of Jack Frost.

He picked up the book and floated out of the open doors, looking around at the icy railings before choosing a corner to settle himself in, balancing on the railing and against the outer wall of the palace. Crossing his legs carefully and laying his staff against his lap, he pulled the book out from under his arm and opened it, smiling at the worn pages. Elsa obviously loved the book dearly. Jack smiled as he flipped through the first stories as she had to the one featuring him.

"Alrighty," he murmured. "Let's see what was so endearing about me."

* * *

Down in the quiet palace the lower outside kitchen door opened and closed with a loud bang, startling the sleeping milking cows stabled outside. They shifted in the thick layer of hay they laid on, protesting their early wake up call.

Olaf shuffled over to them, his tiny arms held up in the air trying to calm them.

"Shh, shh, shh," he said, jumping around between the stalls. "Go back to sleep moo-cows."

He turned around in a circle, jumping and pulling down a bag of carrots hanging on a peg by one of the stalls. He worked in the bag, eventually pulling out several of the carrots and tossing them to the upset cows, watching as they quieted and munched their midnight snack. Olaf exhaled, glad he had avoided a crisis while he was heading out to go see Elsa.

He jumped, his snowball parts separating as Sven made a noise of protest behind him.

"Oh! Sven!" Olaf said, turning to waddle over to Sven's stall, the bag of carrots dragging behind him. "I didn't see you over there."

Sven's neck strained out against the leather strap stretched across the entrance to the stall, Kristoff's sleigh sitting next to the padded bay. Sven's eyes pleaded with Olaf looking between him and the bag, making noises of impatience.

"You want a carrot too?" Olaf said, dragging the bag forward.

As soon as the bag was in range, Sven dipped his head down and grabbed the bag, taking Olaf's arm with it.

"Hey!" Olaf protested, waddling forward and snatching his arm back from the twist in the bag's strap. "You can't have that."

Sven grunted, working his head into the bag and munching on the carrots. Olaf watched him for a moment before turning, waving and shuffling away. His slow but steady gait carried him along, through the servant's area of the palace yards and into the town square and then further into the forest. Olaf hummed to himself, his snowy face turned up in a cheery grin the whole time.

Elsa would be so happy to see him, he just knew she was so bored by now. And by the time he got there, it would be morning. Right now, it was just him, the moon and his excellent music skills. He continued his humming as he worked his way along, skipping his small feet from time to time, excited about Elsa's reaction when he arrives.

* * *

Jack closed the cover of the book, smiling and leaning his head back against the wall of the palace. He stretched his long legs out in front of him, chuckling a little bit. This story had been one of the favorable ones for his character, depicting him as the fun young spirit that he was, not the old, child-stealing man he'd seen before. He still wasn't sure how the author had gotten that idea for him.

Jack looked up at the sky, seeing the moon sitting barely above the treeline, speaking of the late hour for the night. Dawn was still hours off, but the moon was preparing it's rise for other parts of the earth; it's careful watch of the night continuing. He turned carefully sliding back onto the balcony, his barefeet padding across the smooth ice as he went back inside and replaced the book on the stack with the others.

He sighed, looking around again, unsure of what to do. He didn't usually do this, just stay in one place for more than a little while. He looked up at the darkened room where she slept, smiling.

He thought about where all he had taken her, flying around parts of her kingdom where she had just lit up while talking about everywhere they were flying over. She was obviously very proud of her land, and her people. Then she'd seemed so small, so afraid of herself when she'd spoken of her past and her power to him. She'd so abruptly stopped talking about what happened 3 years ago. He was concerned he'd offended her, scared that she'd send him away or refuse to speak with him. He'd wanted to see her smiling again, not that frightened and huddled girl that she'd retreated to while speaking of her past.

So he'd taken her to that lake that he'd seen, taken her dancing. He'd overheard a group of young men in London declare that all women loved dancing so he'd taken the chance that Elsa would agree. He was pleased he'd taken time over the years to watch balls and soirees, coronations and weddings where people would dance and dance for hours on end. He would also admit that he had iced a path or two of errant couples sneaking off for a kiss in darkened gardens, laughing at the startled glances and quick blushes.

But now, what would he do next? There was only so much they could do here in Arendelle, despite her protests to the contrary, so he needed to convince her that they should go elsewhere. He smiled at this, certainly they could go somewhere close, lots of places were close enough for a small trip for her to have fun.

'First,' he thought, looking down at the paltry amount of provisions laid out on table before him. 'I should get her a proper breakfast.'

He smiled, recalling his earlier reason for being in this area, his reason for finding this beautiful ice palace, and the even more impressive Queen who made it: danishes. He floated up the side of the staircase, sliding inside the dark room sideways with his staff held out before him. He hovered in the air, silently checking on her sleeping form.

He thought that she looked like a cat, curled on her side with her knees brought up towards her middle and her hands tucked under the snow she had piled for her pillow. He watched her for a moment, smiling before spinning his staff around and zipping back out of the room, down the stairs and out into the night air.

* * *

Olaf heaved a big sigh as he hefted himself on top of the last snow covered ledge, the little snowman breathing heavily as he looked around at the bare landscape. Dawn had broken some time ago, the sun rising higher into the sky now as the deep purples of the night now lightened to cheery oranges and pinks. Olaf hurried along the snow, spying the rising columns of the Ice Palace ahead reflecting in the morning sun.

"Oh, Elsa is going to be so happy!" he said, for the fifteenth time that hour as he worked towards the bridge.

He skipped across the icy steps, humming and hopping the whole way, his arms conducting his own happy tune. He slid to a stop at the end of the stairs as a shadow loomed over him, turning his head and then his whole body up he saw the giant ice and snow guardian standing over him, glaring down at him. Olaf smiled nervously up at him.

"Hi there big guy, you big marshmallow you, I'm here to see-"

He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Marshmallow scooped him up in one fluid motion and hurled him back across the bridge and to the snow covered plateau where he landed in several pieces. Olaf lay there for a moment, looking up at the morning sky growing lighter and lighter by the moment.

"Well," he said, as his parts righted themselves. "That wasn't very nice."

Olaf scurried back across the bridge, pulling himself up to his full height as the icy giant stomped closer and bent to scoop him up again. This time, Olaf was ready for him.

"Elsa is expecting me!" he shouted, holding up his little arm importantly. "Important matters of the kingdom, very important."

Marshmallow stopped, looking down at him puzzled. He glanced behind him at the closed doors, moving to take a step.

"Careful, she's still asleep," Olaf warned. "You wouldn't want to wake her."

Marshmallow paused again, now looking genuinely confused. Olaf looked quite pleased with himself.

"Do you really think that I would hurt the great, magnificent Queen Elsa? I adore her, much like you. She made me too!"

Olaf inched closer to the door, Marshmallow still staring at him.

"Look big guy," he continued. "You just keep your ears perked. And if she has any issues, I'm sure you will be the first one she calls for, but I promise, snowman to snowman, I'm just here to see her, on official business of course."

Olaf gave Marshmallow a big huge grin, backing into the door and pushing against it with his backside. The door gave, causing Marshmallow to look up at it. Marshmallow gave Olaf a warning growl that Olaf took to mean he would be listening.

"Noted," Olaf said, as he scrambled inside, slamming the door behind him.

Olaf sighed heavily, sagging against the door, the pieces of coal that dotted up his chest sagging a little. He looked around at the lower room, and seeing that it was void of people, jumped off his slumped position against the door and scurrying up the stairs.

He scampered into the upper room, drawing a breath to shout that died in his throat as he saw that Elsa was still sleeping on the high ice bed that dominated the room. The breath hissed from his body as he looked around, the sun's rays just barely starting to fill the room. She straightened one of her legs, shifting her hips slightly in sleep but did not wake as he carefully backed out of the room, sighing in relief as he exited the room.

He had made the mistake of bursting into Anna and Kristoff's room once early in the morning, not realizing that they all liked to sleep in and not be awoken by perky snowmen as soon as the sun had risen in the morning. He had been careful ever since then not to wake anyone, especially Kristoff. Olaf carefully rolled back down the stairs, wondering what he would do with himself while he waited for her to wait up, he figured he had a decent amount of time.

He spied the ice sculpture standing towards the center of the room and walked over to it, smiling up at it's static features. He walked around it twice, studying the detailed features carved into the ice of the man. He came to stand in front of the man, smiling up at him, his stick arms spread wide.

"Hi! I'm Olaf!" he declared, staring up at the ice man awaiting a response.

And he waited.

"I like warm hugs!" he continued, wondering if the iceman was shy perhaps, still keeping his tiny arms spread wide.

He continued to wait, the ice sculpture that Elsa had made staying quite inanimate.

Olaf's smile faded a little bit and he stepped closer, taking another pass around the sculpture.

"You don't have to be so shy," he said, carefully poking at one of the ice legs. "What's your name? Always a good place to start."

Olaf looked up expectantly, smiling brightly again.

Silence.

"Maybe, Jon?"

Silence.

"Or Busby? Jakob?"

Silence. Olaf frowned, poking a little harder at the icy leg.

"You know, it's okay to be shy, I can talk for the both of us. Ludvik? I like Ludvik."

Silence.

"Or Lars! Lars is a great name. Did you know my best friend is named Lars?"

Silence.

Olaf sighed, settling back on his haunches.

"Okay, I lied. His name is Sven. Is your name Sven? Sven is great could be Sven II."

Silence.

"You know, it would be a lot easier to guess what your name is if you would just tell me."

* * *

Jack twirled up from the small bakery he had just exited, the wrapped paper bag in the crook of his arm smelled delightful of pastry and cooked fruit as he turned, aligned himself to the northwest and shot forward. He smiled, thinking about what he hoped her reaction might be. Dawn had broken as he was in the bakery, carefully working the rejected pastries into his small paper wrapping from the back of the shop, they'd never even notice the couple that he had taken.

He sped on, grinning madly as he hurried back to Elsa and the Ice Palace. It was a glorious, beautiful new day, and he knew exactly who he wanted to spend it with.

* * *

"...Or Cawly, or Ivar, or Tor, or Eric, or Arne, or Daniel, or Alfred, or Danby, or Adrian, or Johan, or Jonas," Olaf continued, lying on his back now in front of the ice sculpture as he rattled off potential names, hoping that one of them would spark the iceman into talking.

He paused, rolling to stand up and looked around. The room had lightened up considerably as the sun had risen higher in the sky, the ice catching the sun's rays like icy prisms. He heard a soft groan from upstairs and grinned. Elsa was awake! He scurried away from his silent companion and up the stairs, his snowy lips splitting into a wide smile.

He hurried through the open door and to the side of her bed.

"Jack?" he heard her ask.

Jack? Who was Jack?

"Your Majesty," Olaf said, hopping a little to try and get on the bed. He failed and just looked up with his big smile on his face.

"I'm so glad I got here in time!" he wasn't about to tell her he'd been here for several hours.

"It looks like you are in need of me, maybe a hug?"

He watched as her sleep tousled features came into view over the side of the bed, squinting down at him slightly from the glare of the bright sun in the white snow in the room.

"Who is Jack?" he asked, dipping down to look under the bed. Maybe it was the name of a stuffed bear that she had brought with her, Lisbet had named her dolls afterall.

"There wasn't anyone downstairs?" she said, her voice cracking a little bit.

Olaf took this as alarm, he wondered if the iceman was Jack. Maybe he was another guard that Elsa had created to keep her safe. Maybe that was why he wouldn't speak to Olaf! If he was guarding the inside of the palace, then perhaps he wasn't supposed to talk to anyone.

"Oh, did you mean your iceman downstairs? Yes, he's still there. Doing a great job of guarding the door too," Olaf said, straightening up and smiling. He would make sure to give the iceman a good review of his duties.

Elsa gave him a sad half smile, her shoulders slumping a little. Was that not the answer that she wanted to hear? He watched as Elsa laid back down on her bed, disappearing from his view.

Olaf blinked up at the now empty space, unsure of what to do now. He'd come to entertain her, keep her company and she'd just gone back to sleep it seemed. He looked around, wondering what he could do now. Should he try talking to her or go back to try talking to her guard, now that he knew his name.

Long silent minutes stretched on as Olaf considered, opening his mouth several times to ask before closing it, not wanting to disturb her. Finally, after not knowing what he was going to do, he heard the strains of a song in the distance. He cocked his head, listening for a moment. Elsa heard it too apparently, as she sat up in bed, her gloomy disappointment had faded away to a look of hopeful curiosity.

A tall, white-haired man appeared in the balcony doorway, dressed in simple clothes in brown, white and black and carrying a crooked wooden staff and a brown paper bag. He leaned the staff against a wall, smiling widely at Elsa and strolled into the room casually. Olaf looked at Elsa who was smiling back at the man, she seemed to know him.

"Good morning," the man said, setting down his parcel on the bed and setting a long fingered hand on top of it.

Elsa glanced down at the bag, quirking an eyebrow at it before looking back up at him.

"Good morning," she responded.

Olaf didn't like being left out, he never did. People tended to forget he was there, being so small. Even with this flurry of snow floating above his head that bespoke his placement, people still didn't notice him from time to time. He had to make himself known.

"Hello!" he said, waving his little arms up just over the top of the bed. "I'm Olaf! And I like warm hugs!"

The man paused, his warm smile at Elsa faltering as he turned his head to look over and then down at Olaf. He stared for a long moment at Olaf, people tended to do that, he had gotten used to strange stares. This stare was different though, this wasn't the incredulous stare of someone seeing something they weren't sure they could believe it. Olaf wasn't entirely sure what this man was thinking.

"You can see me?" he asked, a note of amazement in his voice.

Olaf was a little puzzled at this.

"Yeah, why?"

Was he not supposed to see the man?

Elsa was looking at Olaf too now, she blinked at him.

"You can?" she asked him, sounded as shocked as the man had been.

"Yeah, why?" Olaf asked again, wondering if he really wasn't supposed to see the man. Was he supposed to be a secret?

The man sat down hard at the end of the bed, smiling widely like something amazing had happened to him.

"Two in two days," he said quietly. "This is incredible."

"What's going on?" Olaf asked, looking between Elsa and the man on the end of the bed. "Why? Am I not supposed to see him? I can turn away?"

Olaf turned around, bringing his arms up to his face, covering his eyes with his small stick hands. He heard Elsa laugh softly behind him.

"Olaf, this is Jack Frost," she said. "And people, well people don't usually see him. We're the first two that have, ever."

Olaf felt a sense of relief rush over him. Jack just wasn't used to people seeing him, he knew what that was like, being a permanent snowman and all.

"Ooh," Olaf drawled out, turning back around. "People usually have something to say when they first see me too! Like, screaming or, "demon!" or "What's a snowman doing in the sauna?""

He smiled brightly up at the couple on the bed, turning to Elsa when she groaned.

"I told you not to go to the sauna."

Olaf looked at the bed, reaching up and beginning to pull himself up to join them.

"But Oaken LIKES me, he says it's great for business to have a snowman in the sauna," he said, his uppermost parts making it onto the bed. He hopped around, bending over carefully and pulled his lower half up behind him.

"Besides, have you ever BEEN in the sauna? Oh it's just amazing," he continued, turning to smile at the couple.

Olaf decided they looked good together, watching as they turned and smiled at each other, chuckling a little.

"Are you okay?" Elsa asked Jack, as Olaf settled himself into a corner of the bed.

Jack shook his head a little, more in disbelief than disagreement and smiled at her.

"Great," he said. "Absolutely great. I brought you something!"

He turned slightly, reaching behind him to grab the bag he had set down on the bed. He sat it on his lap, peeling away the paper carefully before stopping, smiling and looking up at her.

"Here, you choose first. I went and got them for you after all."

He held the bag out for her, watching as she gave him a curious look and slowly reached to take the bag from him, a confused look crossing her features. She moved a hand to the top and pulled down, peaking inside before looking back up at him.

"Pastries?"

Jack grinned, moving to sit on his knees and moved a little closer to her.

"Not just pastries, danishes! I flew down to this great little shop in Denmark to get them this morning. You didn't really have much in the way of breakfast downstairs, so I thought this would be perfect for you."

She stared at him, blinking once before glancing down at the bag and laughing a little.

"You flew to DENMARK to get me pastries?"

Jack continued to grin at her and nudged the bag.

"Try one!"

She stared at him for a moment, a blush creeping across her cheeks before she gave a small smile and dipped her hand into the bag, pulling out a flaky pastry.

"Apple, I think," she said, rotating the danish around a little to inspect it.

After a moment's hesitation, Jack leaned forward, his own hand darting into the bag and he pulled one out himself, still grinning madly and obviously quite pleased with himself.

"Cherry!" he declared, holding it up before taking a large bite.

Elsa hesitantly took a small bite of hers, chewing for a few moments before smiling up at Jack.

"It's good!" she declared before taking another bite.

He swallowed his own bite, grinning again.

"You think I would go all that way for anything subpar, my lady?" he asked, giving her a small bow on the bed.

She giggled at him, moving her foot under the snowy bedclothes to kick his leg while taking another bite of her breakfast.

Olaf watched them, still grinning.

"Can I smell one?" he asked. "I can't really taste one, but I could smell one!"

They turned and looked at him, a little bit of surprise registering on their features, like they had forgotten that he was sitting just beside them.

'Just like Anna and Kristoff,' Olaf thought, leaning forward as Jack picked up the bag and brought it over towards Olaf.

"What's your story anyways?" Jack asked him. "How are you, wall, an animated snowman in summertime?"

Olaf leaned forward as the bag was placed before him, inhaling the scents of sweet spices, sugar cooked fruit and dough. He sighed happily, they did smell wonderfully delicious.

"That was me," said Elsa, causing Jack to look back at her.

"What was you?" he asked.

"My magic," she answered, gesturing to Olaf. "I made him."

Olaf nodded in agreement, smiling at Elsa.

"And then, she made my little flurry cloud so I can be around all year round!" he said, grabbing the bag again and inhaling deeping. "Oh that smells so good."

He leaned back, smiling, before turning and hopping off the bed. It was obvious now that Elsa wasn't along, Jack was here. Olaf might as well head back to the palace. He could tell Anna that Elsa wasn't alone either, that would make Anna happy.

"Well, I just came to make sure you weren't lonely up here, but since you have your boyfriend, I'll just go back to the castle. Bye!"

Olaf hurried out of the room, down the stairs and to the front door. He paused when opening the front door, seeing the giant figure of Marshmallow snap towards the opening door.

"I'm all done," he said, as the ice giant stared at him. "Official business all done, so I'm leaving now. Good job keeping her safe, I gave her an excellent review of your performance."

Marshmallow continued to stare at him as Olaf scrambled across the bridge and began to work his way back down the mountain. At least going down was much easier than going up.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Okay, first note. Please remember that I do have family visiting right now as well as things going on in my real life. I'm sorry if I don't update as often as you might like, but I update as often as I care to. I update pretty often as compared to other authors on , sometimes daily if I'm able to make it work with my schedule. I don't mind reviews asking me to update soon (that means you care), but don't just leave a review demanding an update for one story on another story, it's rude. Writing a review of "So when are you going to update your other story" on Heliotrope is a slap in the face to me, sorry if you don't like it. (It was an anonymous review that I have deleted)_**

**_I don't just update these chapters willy nilly, I work hard to give it my best so that you, the reader, can enjoy it and that I enjoy writing it. I've been writing the Frostbitten series for almost 2 months now, it's starting to wear me out a little, which is why I've been enjoying the new Heliotrope story. I'm not stopping this series by any means, but I am trying to enjoy my new story as well._**

**_Second note, please realize this story is going to be much longer than Frostbitten and thus updates are going to take me longer as I am researching things and trying to make sure I like the wording of everything. Frostbitten was more of a story being told to you, The Full Story should be more of the feel of a novel being read._**

**_Enjoy! ~Aria_**

* * *

Jack and Elsa stared silently at the empty doorframe that Olaf had exited before slowly turning to look at each other, a blush creeping over Elsa's cheeks as Jack grinned a little, keeping his gaze on the bed as he grabbed the bag Olaf had insisted on smelling. Jack fished another pastry out, offering the bag to Elsa as he sat back and finished his breakfast. She tore the bag a little, removing the last of the pastries from the bag's sticky edges.

"The honey on these is so tasty," she commented, tearing off a bite of pastry and popping it into her mouth.

Jack smiled at her, licking his fingers.

"You like honey?"

She nodded, taking a bite of the pastry, cheese filling spilling out. She made a small squeak of surprise and brought her other hand up to scoop the filling into her mouth.

"How undignified," she commented after finishing her bite. "I never eat like this at home."

Jack grinned at her.

"Relax, I told you I'm here to make sure you have lots of fun."

She laughed, finishing her own breakfast with gusto, cleaning her own hands with the snow bedding that she was still seated in. Jack rolled forward slightly to sit on his knees, holding his hand out for her. She blinked up at him, confused.

"What?"

"Come on, let's go," he said, grabbing her hand as she slowly raised it to his.

He pulled her to stand on her icy bed, grinning at her mussed hair and helping to smooth it down. She blushed again, her own hands coming up to run over her white-blonde locks.

"Oh goodness, I must look a fright," she said, hurrying to straighten her hair, small sparkles of magic running down her braid.

He smiled at her.

"Not anymore."

Her blush deepened a little more, as she dipped her hand and ran her hands over her face, clearing the bits of sleep from her eyes.

"Come on," he said, still smiling at her. "We need to get going. I have plans for today."

"Plans?" she said, looking up at him.

"Scotland!" he said, jumping back off the bed and skipping over to his staff still leaned against the wall.

Her eyes widened as she watched him, feeling a sense of unease come over her. She'd never left Arendelle, her Ice Palace was the furthest she'd ever gone away from the palace proper. Even as Queen she hadn't yet travelled to any of her neighboring countries, always sending profuse apologies as to why she wasn't able to attend. He turned, floating slightly up in the air and smiled at her.

"But, that's so far away," she reasoned. "What if something happens? They might need me here or what if we get stranded?"

He smirked at her, floating back to the bed at stepping in front of her, tucking an errant curl behind her ear before grabbing her nervous hands in his free hand.

"Elsa," he said. "It's going to be fun, that I can promise. And I'll have you back here by tonight, if you want."

She swallowed looking up at him with her wide blue eyes. After a moment she nodded, nervousness evident in her stature.

"Okay," she said in barely a whisper, before a slow grin broke over her face.

"Okay," she said again, louder this time. "I suppose this will be an adventure. I've never left Arendelle before."

He looked taken aback by this, his jaw gaping a little.

"Never?"

She shook her head. "Never."

That slow, mischievous grin broke over his face again, Elsa could only imagine the plans and ideas forming inside his mind as he smiled at her.

"Oh, Elsa," he finally said to her. "I have so much to show you then."

He moved forward in a fluid motion, slipping an arm around her waist and pulling her close, smiling at her still with that wicked grin of his. Elsa felt herself flush again.

"You ready?" he said. "Fun, adventure, haggis?"

"What's haggis?"

He didn't reply as she moved to slip an arm behind him, securing herself against him. Finally she nodded.

"Ready," she said, taking a deep breath. "Don't let me fall."

His face was close to her ear, that smile still on his lips as he answered. "Never."

A moment later they were off, soaring quickly out of the room and into the bright morning sky. Elsa's breath caught in her throat as she beheld the same sights as the night before in the bright light of the sun, everything looked so different from above, more magical in a way. She couldn't help but smile as she looked over everything. Jack was talking to her, she hurried to focus.

"...they have the neatest silver shops in Edinburgh," he said, drawing out the name with long vowels. "Maybe we can get you into a kilt too!"

He grinned at her.

She blinked, a realization coming over her.

"I haven't any money," she said, looking down at her dress bereft of any pockets or places to hold coins, like a purse. "Do you?"

He quirked a brow at her.

"Why would I need money?"

"Well how did you get the pastries this morning?"

"I just took the reject ones from the back."

Elsa scowled at him, feeling a little guilty now that her breakfast had been of stolen pastries.

"Go back, I need to get something to be able to pay with."

He sighed dramatically, stopping in the air and turning to head back to the Ice Palace.

"No," she said, gesturing south to the palace proper. "I only have a few speciedaler* there, I'll need to write up a note to be able to pull from the bank in Scotland."

He chuckled and turned to head in the direction she had indicated. She apparently planned to do some shopping.

* * *

Olaf had hurried back down the mountain, humming his song the whole way, dancing and bouncing along back to the palace. He swung into the kitchen, ducking through the busy and cursing kitchen staff with a practised ease and made his way through to the dining area where Kristoff and Anna were seated, Erik and Lisbet between them. They all carefully ate their breakfast, the twins plates served in tiny bites. Anna smiled as the snowman entered the room with his wide smile and humming song.

"Well," she said, setting down her cup. "I didn't expect to see you so soon."

"Oh," Olaf said, pulling himself up on one of the chairs. "She didn't need me up there. She has her boyfriend with her. I didn't want to bother her."

Anna and Kristoff exchanged a puzzled look before looking back at Olaf.

"Her, what?" Kristoff said, setting down his fork with a large piece of ham speared on the end.

"Her boyfriend, Jack. They were all cozy in bed when I left, eating breakfast together."

Olaf smiled at them.

"They are really cute together, you should see them."

"Who is her boyfriend?" Anna asked, not believing what she was hearing.

"Jack Frost," Olaf said, matter of factly.

"Jack Frost," Kristoff repeated bluntly, giving Anna an incredulous look.

Olaf nodded.

"Very nice guy, wasn't wearing much though. No shoes, I thought that was strange."

Anna felt the color draining from her face.

"Kristoff, I-"

"Yeah, I think we should go up there," he finished, pushing back his chair and moving in the direction that Olaf had come from.

Anna also moved from the table, hurrying to go and find Marta while she sent up a silent prayer that her sister was alright.

* * *

Elsa stepped down onto the balcony to her room, moving out of Jack's grasp and quickly opening the door leading into her room. She had contemplated going to her office but decided against it, Anna might find her there and scold her for returning so soon. And it would be hard to explain leaving again so soon.

"This should only take a moment," she said, stepping over to the small desk she kept in the room and opening the flap to reveal the small drawers inside. Expertly, as if she had done this many times before, she removed a small candle and a strange looking candleholder with a small bowl over where the candle flame would be. She grasped the candle and carefully opened the door, peeking outside in the hall before stepping out, lighting the candle on one of the hall lanterns and hurrying back inside. She fitted the candle in the holder, setting a tiny piece of blue wax in the bowl above it.

She drew a piece of parchment from another drawer, bringing a quill pen and ink from another before beginning to quickly write across the page in a flowy, official script.

"Awful lot of work just for a little money," Jack commented, slowly walking around her room.

She grinned, not looking up from her writing. She finished with a signature at the bottom, setting her quill aside and picked up the small bowl sitting over the candle flame. She carefully poured the wax in a small pool on the parchment, set the bowl back down in it's holder and opened another drawer, pulling a small silver signet ring out this time. She fit the ring onto the middle finger of her right hand before carefully rolling it over the wax pool. The wax flattened out, leaving the impression of the seal behind on the parchment in the blue wax.

She blew out the candle, wiping out the wax bowl with a small cloth before fitting all the items used back into the small cupboards of the desk. She reached for the ring still on her finger, paused and left it on. She might need it again, not many knew of Arendelle.

She stood, leaving the note on the desk to finish cooling and walked to her closet, bending low to scoop a small blue coin purse with a long wide belt from the floor. She fitted it around her waist, running a finger along the clasp to freeze it in place; she didn't want it to jostle loose during their flight. She walked back to the desk, scooping up the parchment and folded it into the purse. Finally, she turned and smiled at Jack, who was leaning on his staff and smiling at her with a bemused expression on his face.

"Okay," she said, stepping towards him. "Now I'm ready."

"You sure about that?" he asked, not moving from his relaxed position. "Last time you weren't so ready."

She scowled a little.

"Yes, I'm sure," she said, crossing her arms.

He chuckled, stepping forward to slip an arm around her again.

"Snowflake, you need to learn to relax."

She was about to protest to his calling her by the pet name when she heard Anna's voice out in the hall.

"Go!" she whispered, ushering him on.

He hurried them out of the room, the wind pulling the door shut behind them as they rushed high into the sky, Elsa letting out a sigh as they settled back into their flight. Jack chuckled beside her.

"So, Edinburgh," he said again. "Do you know any English by the way?"

* * *

Anna had hurried around the castle, quickly changing from her more formal receiving dress into more comfortable traveling attire. She told Matias to apologize for her for the day's receiving and that she would see to everyone later if needed. The man had looked displeased but had bowed and left to do as she had bid. She slid on the polished floor leading out to the stable yard, her large belly almost throwing her off balance. She grinned, her arms flailing as she righted herself and hurried out to the yard.

Kristoff was there, finishing the last of the preparations for the sleigh, Sven patiently waiting as Kristoff checked his feet. Anna hurried to the sleigh, tossing the blankets she had thrown over her arms inside. He had changed his clothing as well, layering his more rugged clothing over the nicer attire. It had taken Anna quite some time to convince Kristoff to go easy on his clothing, or at least some of his clothing. The palace maids had had a fit over the state of his shirts that he would wear them down to.

"Ready?" Kristoff said to her, glancing up to see her climbing into the seat.

She nodded, settling one of the blankets over her lap as he climbed in next to her, gathering up the reins. He paused as she settled the other over her, smiling at her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm sure she's fine, you know how Olaf can be," he said, pressing a kiss to her temple.

She nodded, exhaling nervously.

"I'm sure you are right."

Kristoff smiled at her, moving his arm back to the reins and clicking his tongue. Sven leaped forward, pulling the sleigh behind him with ease. It would be a long ride up to the Ice Castle for the both of them.

* * *

* the speciedaler was the form of Norwegian currency used from about 1816 to 1875, when they introduced the Krone. They still use the Krone today, they do NOT use the Euro.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Not much to say really here, just keep plugging along at the chapters! I am on various messenger services most all the time, if anyone ever feels like chatting. Drop me a PM if you are interested for my contact info :) Enjoy! ~Aria_**

**_P.S. MAJOR thanks to my proofreader Avafreak45, for my mistakes, ramblings and various mutterings._**

* * *

Kristoff stopped the sleigh and stood, bending quickly to catch Anna as she attempted to scramble from the seat to cross the icy bridge.

"Wait, be careful okay? I don't need you doing crazy trust exercises on me while pregnant."

She smiled and paused, watching as he jumped down and came around to help her down. Anna squeezed his hand, both of them turning to carefully cross the bridge together. The hulking form of Marshmallow greeted them on the other end.

"Oh great," Kristoff muttered, attempting to move Anna behind him.

She moved forward, heedless of his movement and held her arms up at the icy giant.

"Wait! Wait," she said. "We think Elsa is in trouble."

Marshmallow paused, waiting for her to continue.

"We just want to check on her, is she here?"

He nodded, casting a worried glance at the castle.

"Okay, just, wait, okay?"

Anna turned, moving to the door, pushing it open with ease and hurried in, Kristoff close behind her.

"Well, if he says she's here, what other way could she have left?" he wondered aloud, looking around the lower room.

Anna walked over to the ice sculpture still standing the room, smiling at it.

"Could Olaf had meant this?" she wondering, gesturing at the male figure.

Kristoff frowned.

"Where is she at?" he wondered.

Anna raised her brows, turning her head and yelled Elsa's name. Kristoff winced as the noise reverberated off the ice.

No reply.

Anna and Kristoff looked at each other, a cold chill running down Anna's spine.

"Maybe she just didn't hear you," Kristoff suggested. "We should go look upstairs."

Anna nodded, moving to go up the staircase with a worried look and Kristoff's reassuring hand at her back. Coming into the upper room, Anna saw all the icy creations that Elsa had made and marveled a little at how amazing they were; all of them so delicate and beautiful, but no Elsa to go with them. Anna swallowed the rising pit of fear from her stomach.

"She's not here."

She turned to look back Kristoff, who gave her a helpless look and glanced around the room again.

"Maybe she went somewhere and that thing didn't see her leave," he said. "Don't panic just yet, okay?"

He stepped over to her, pulling her close to him.

"She's on a vacation, just leave her a note downstairs with all her things. I'm sure she will be back soon. If she's not back by the end of her week, then we will panic."

Anna nodded, her eyes still full of concern for her missing sister as Kristoff led her back downstairs. She walked over to the table, pulling the parchment, quill and ink to her and quickly composed a note.

"Elsa,

Olaf told us that there was a strange man up here with you, so Kristoff and I came up to check on you. You weren't here. Are you okay? Where are you? I'm worried about you. Let me know you are okay.

Love,

Anna"

She replaced the writing implements on the table, blowing on the parchment she'd used to dry the ink. A soft breeze blew into the room, causing her to frown.

"If I just leave this on the table, it might blow off," she said.

"So tuck it right in the first book."

"But she might not see it then."

"It's Elsa, she loves to read, she'll see it," he assured her. "It will be fine, I promise."

Anna bit her lip, tucking the parchment inside the front cover of the book before turning to Kristoff and nodding.

"I hope you are right."

He tucked her under his arm, pulling her close.

"Let's get back home, and get you all warmed up."

She smiled up at him and nodded, leaving the empty Ice Castle behind them, and a confused gate guardian to wonder how his charge had left.

* * *

Jack and Elsa flew along, smiling and laughing as Jack attempted to teach her a few new words before they arrived. They were crossing water, a large body of water, the North Sea, but she thought she could see land in the distant horizon. She wondered if it was like that for seafaring travelers, to be surrounded by vast amounts of water and then, to spot the barest hint of green in the distance and watch as it grows larger and larger. Of course, for her it was a matter of minutes, not months, over the North Sea.

She smiled at him, excitement growing as she realized this was a new place she was going, new faces and new everything she was about to experience.

"Let's go see the highlands first," he suggested, angling northwards a bit as they sped on.

She didn't reply, not knowing that he meant by "Highlands."

"What if someone sees me while you are flying me around?"

He paused, thinking for a moment before grinning at her.

"Just say you are one of the fey."

"The fey?"

"A fairy."

"Jack!"

"What? Do your little ice magic, I'm sure you could make yourself a nice pair of wings."

She scowled at him, trying to hold back her laughter and failing.

"I am not making wings," she said, laughing.

He grinned at her, pushing onwards as they flew over the last kilometers of water and over the rolling hills of the Scottish Highlands.

Elsa's breath caught in her chest as they came across the lush green landscapes that rose and fell over massive rocks decorated in shades of brown, red, black and grey; crystal blue paths of water cut through the hills like soft flew on, Elsa pointing out as they passed over small villages and daunting castles made of ancient stone. Further on they flew, Elsa marveling at the wonderful sights she was seeing and the gorgeous landscapes; she loved Arendelle and it's beauty, but this was a different beauty of it's own creation.

As they flew on, a long, huge lake came into view, the sun glittering off it's surface through the clouds.

"Loch Ness," Jack said, turning and taking them down closer. "Supposedly quite the mythical lake. I think it's just quite the pretty place myself."

Elsa smiled, looking around at the little villages and towns that were set up all around the widest part of the lake. Jack chose an unpopulated spot to set them down in, moving his arm away as soon as she was steady on her feet. Her smile never faded as she looked around, breathing in the almost impossibly fresh air.

"This is just so breathtaking," she said, turning back to look at him.

He smiled and nodded. "Indeed it is."

She turned back, looking down at the water gently sloshing against the rocky shoreline of the lake, bent down and carefully removed her icy slippers and stepped into the water, holding the hemline of her dress up. She laughed, wiggling her toes in the sand and rock bottom of the lake.

He watched her, crouched down on top of a large boulder that looked out over the water. She moved along the shoreline, bending down occasionally to pick up small pretty rocks, cleaning them off in the water. Her skirts were still held up high in one hand; he could see her knees. He chuckled.

"What's so funny?" she asked, bending to pick up another rock before turning to look at him.

He moved to sit on the rock, stretching his long legs out in front of him.

"The great Ice Queen, the might Elsa of Arendelle, collecting rocks at Loch Ness. Just not something I think most people would imagine," he said, smirking at her.

She laughed, turning to walk back towards him.

"I do a great many things that people would be surprised about I think."

"Like what?"

"Run away with winter spirits to Scotland?"

"Touche."

She came back to him, smiling and held up her hand with the rocks.

"Can you hold these while I put my shoes back on?"

He rolled his eyes, jumping down from his seat and holding out his hand; she deposited the rocks, smiling still at him.

"Thanks," she said, turning to pick her slippers back up.

"What is the fascination with rocks?" he asked, examining the small treasures. "I don't get it. I've seen women collecting them before, these and seashells."

Elsa was bent over, working her shoes back onto her wet feet and looked up at him.

"They are pretty."

"That's it?"

She shrugged. "Does there have to be more of a reason? I like pretty things too, even if I am an Ice Queen, as you so nicely put it."

He smirked, still holding out his hand for her. With her shoes back on, she carefully placed the rocks into her belt purse one at a time, smiling up at him when she was done.

"Now what?"

He chuckled.

"I was going to take you to another Loch, but I fear you might try to weigh me down with rocks next. Let's go to Edinburgh, you can get some proper pretty things, like jewelry perhaps."

She laughed, stepping over close to him and wrapping her arms around his neck as his arm snaked around her waist. They lifted up high into the air, turning south this time.

"There are two very large cities in Scotland," Jack said. "Edinburgh and Glasgow."

"Why Edinburgh then?"

"It's the capitol, and it has a castle. I seem to remember you having a thing for castles," he replied, smirking at her.

They flew in silence, the landscape and sights passing beneath them as Elsa smiled, seeing it all go by. While she enjoyed, Jack struggled with a small logistic issue; how to get her into Edinburgh without it looking like she had just floated down from the heavens. As they approached the city, he remembered something about the landscape.

"You don't mind walking a bit, right?"

"No, why?" she said, looking up at him.

He grimaced a little bit. "We need to set down a little bit outside the city, it's busy. I'm not sure I could set you somewhere that you won't get noticed right away."

She looked back down, seeing the large, sprawling city ahead.

"I don't mind walking."

Jack smiled, turning and flying them around the city in a large arch, careful to try and avoid view in the daylight, even with the sun only partially poking through the clouds. She saw where he was heading for, a large mound of earth located south of the city with well worn paths leading to and from it.

"What is that?" she asked, spying people milling about the flat area in a park like setting.

"Arthur's Seat," Jack replied, aiming for a copse of trees that she could walk out of. "Well, the top of it is, this is just like a ladies' park area beneath it. It's quite the climb to the top, or so I'm told."

She chuckled, carefully stepping over sticks and brambles to step out into the clearing.

"Now," Jack said, a note of warning in his voice. "You are likely going to be seen as odd without anyone else with you."

She shrugged. "I can work with that."

"And I wouldn't introduce yourself as the Queen of Arendelle."

"Why not?"

"A Queen travelling alone to a different country that she can barely speak the language of, with no announcement that she's coming?"

She considered this before sighing. "Good point, so what do I say?"

"Wealthy widow?"

She frowned. "I'm a little young, don't you think?"

"Guess you are lucky then."

She scowled. "That's not very nice."

"What? I've heard ladies talk."

She rolled her eyes and began walking, nodding politely to a group of young ladies whom she passed on the path. He directed her up into the city, floating up or ahead a few times to get their placement.

Her first stop was at the bank, where she presented the piece of parchment with the seal that she had drawn up that morning. The large, confused looking Scot in the huge bank had apologized and stepped in the back, bringing back with him one of the bank managers. Elsa explained, in her slow English that Jack relayed to her over her shoulder, what she wanted, and presented the signet ring on her hand as evidence. After profuse apologies, and an explanation that they just simply hadn't ever received anyone from Arendelle before, they dispensed a large sack of coins to her of varying shapes and sizes. She had opened the bag, looking up at them in confusion.

"What are all these coins?" she asked, pulling out several different coins with a furrowed brow.

The bank clerk calmly, and slowly, explained the differences between a halfpenny, penny, thruppence, sixpence, shilling, florin, halfcrown and crown, and how many of each coin went into each other coin. Elsa was completely confused, the strange coin names all jumbled together as the clerk placed the coins back in the bag.

Jack chuckled over her shoulder as she collected the bag and left the bank.

"I think you might spend all that just so you don't have to deal with all those coins anymore."

She shook her head. "I just don't understand why you need so many coins!"

The money resolved, they began to walk up and down the cobblestone streets, going in and out of shops. Elsa's newly acquired purse of money began to lighten shortly after she got it, as she came across all sorts of treasures in silver and pewter, tartan and wool. There were thistle designs, and claddaghs, cashmere and leather goods. Elsa purchased shopping bags that were quickly filled with carefully wrapped parcels, her eyes filled with delight as she surveyed shops and haggled with the help of Jack's patient translation over her shoulder.

Her arms loaded down with bags, Jack suggested that perhaps she should see about renting a room to store everything in, and they could leave from there that evening. She agreed, lugging her laden bags with a cheerful smile to a large hotel overlooking the Royal Mile. An eager bellman took her bags off her arms as she entered the fancy lobby, bowing as he did so. She procured a room, the bellman assuring her that he would make sure all her parcels made it safely upstairs, Elsa turned and headed back out onto the streets, eager to see more of the large, bustling city.

"Well," Jack said, as she looked around. "We can go up to the Castle, see the Crown Jewels."

She frowned. "Why would I want to see that, I have plenty of my own."

He chuckled. "I thought you might like to see how someone else does theirs, and have a change a pace from this marathon of shopping you've been doing."

She paused, contemplating then smiled, shaking her head. "No, though I would like to get something to eat."

"I'm sure there is a place around here for you to get a nice haggis."

"What on earth is that?"

"It's, well, difficult to explain."

She raised a brow. "I'm not sure I like where this is going."

He grinned. "It's good!"

"You think everything is good."

"Well, that's beside the point."

Jack led her out, scouting ahead again for places to eat, occasionally dipping into a place to smell before coming back out shaking his head. Finally, he found a small place off the main Mile that he ushered her into. The few patrons inside looked surprised when she entered, a barmaid scrambling to clear a table for her. An older woman came forward, her hands shaking and spoke in broken English herself.

"Hello, your ladyship," she said.

Elsa smiled up at her, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

"Just say, I'd like your best Haggis dinner please and something to drink," Jack told her, floating down into the chair next to her, smiling.

Elsa repeated, haltingly, the words to the older woman who looked surprised but nodded, giving her a wobbling curtsey and hurrying away.

"Why are they so scared?" Elsa asked him quietly, moving her hand to cover her mouth.

"This place is small, mostly for the locals, I doubt they get much business from the locals. But it smells amazing, I'd wager they have better food than those fancy places we passed by. And they won't overcharge you either."

She considered this, smiling up at the barmaid who brought over a tankard of some amber liquid, setting it carefully down before her.

"It goes best with the haggis, me lady," she said, giving her a wary glance. "I promise."

Jack translated, reaching out and dipping a finger in to try it. "Mmm, tasty. It's a cider."

Elsa carefully picked up the tankard, attempting to be as dainty as possible and cautiously took a sip, surprised at the flavors and nodded, smiling up at the barmaid. The maid gave a nervous smile and hurried back behind the counter, the fluid Scots language flowing as they spoke rapidly.

"They are terrified you won't like their fare," Jack commented, smiling at her.

Elsa scowled a little bit, still speaking softly. "I hope you didn't set me up for a fall then."

He grinned at her, watching as they brought out a large platter heaped with mashed turnips and potatoes, and cut carrots. The haggis was in tiny bits, a blackish mass in stark contrast to the orange and white of the turnips, potatoes and carrots. Elsa swallowed, worried about her upcoming meal and smiled up at the nervous woman again. The barmaid set down a small plate of shortbread cookies (biscuits) with a smile, stepping back to let Elsa enjoy her meal.

Elsa picked up the simple cutlery that had been set out for her, carefully arranging the napkin on her lap and examining the fare. A chunk of brown bread had been placed on the side as well. She wasn't exactly sure how the best way to eat the dish was, she frowned a little at it, moving her knife and fork towards the piles of food a couple times.

"It's best ta get a little of everythin' in one bite," the maid said, speaking up, blushing when the older woman kicked her.

Elsa looked over at her, smiling as Jack translated.

"Thank you," Elsa replied, gesturing to the plate. "Never had." She frowned, hated having to speak in such fragmented sentences.

Following the advice of the younger girl she carefully scooped a little bit of each of the mashes onto her fork with some of the haggis, holding it all on with a small slice of carrot and took a cautious bite. The variety of flavors exploded in her mouth, causing her eyes to widen in amazement. She nodded appreciatively. She swallowed the bite, paid her compliments in her native tongue without realizing it as she scooped up another bite with gusto and began to work through the plate.

She ignored the laughing Jack beside her, and kept paying her compliments to the dish. Once she was finished, the dish cleared and the tankard empty, she leaned back with a biscuit and turned to look at the barmaid and the older woman. Her brow furrowed as they looked at her with a mixture of pleasure and confusion.

"Wha-" she started.

"Once you started eating, everything you said was in Norwegian. They didn't understand a word of it."

She flushed, setting down the half eaten biscuit, wiping her mouth with the napkin.

"Sorry," she said in English. "Good, very good."

They both exhaled deeply, smiling widely at her.

"Thank you, me lady," the older woman said, wobbling down into another curtsy.

The barmaid stepped forward, picking up the empty tankard and plate, smiling down at Elsa.

"Where are you from then?"

She paused while Jack quickly translated for her and smiled up at her.

"Arendelle."

The maid's eyes widened. "Tha's where they have tha' Ice Queen right? The one with all sorts of magical powers? Oh I bet that is just amazing to live with!"

"Oh leave her be Lena, you know as well as I there be no such thing as magic."

The barmaid frowned up at the older woman as she disappeared behind the counter, talking quickly in Scots to the kitchen. Lena's face fell a little bit, smiling down at Elsa still. Elsa looked around, seeing the now empty bar.

"They all left, scared of a fancy lady like you being here," Lena said, setting the empty dishes up on the bar and stepping back to her. "I make the biscuits meself."

Elsa smiled at her, flicking her eyes back to the door the older woman had gone through before holding her finger up to her lips at Lena.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked her, watching her curiously.

"You'll see," she replied, holding up her closed hands to Lena.

She opened them slowly, like opening a book and conjured a perfect snowflake between her palms, smiling up at a slackjawed Lena.

"Yo-you're the Queen?"

Elsa nodded. "Out on vacation," she said slowly.

Lena stared at her with wide eyes, looking back down at the snowflake. The door opened again, and Elsa moved her hands together, swallowing the snowflake up and giving Lena a quick wink before turning back to her table and grabbing up the biscuits and carefully wrapping them into the napkin she had used.

She held up her purse, turning back to the barmaid inquiring about the price of the meal. Lena told her, Elsa sighed and began to try and count out the coins, muttering to herself about the strange coin system. Elsa held out the coins that she believed to be enough for the meal and waited as Lena counted them.

"Oh, ma'am, you gave me way too much," Lena said, stepping forward. "I don't need this coin at all."

Elsa held up a hand. "No, you keep."

Lena blinked before smiling at her. "Thank you," she whispered, slipping the extra coin into her pocket and dipping a curtsy.

Elsa smiled again and moved to the door, turning to wave at the girl as she left the small tavern like room.

"That was nice of you," Jack commented as they were back out on the road. "Where to now, that your hunger has been satiated?"

Elsa smiled at him, hefting her coin purse before tucking it away. "Seems like I have more coins to spend, I'm sure there are a couple shops I haven't visited."

Jack groaned, causing Elsa to laugh as they headed back to the Mile.

"I never thought I would be so happy for night to fall so I could fly away," Jack said.

"I'm having fun," Elsa said, smiling.

Jack floated in front of her. "Well good, that was the whole point. I still don't like shopping though."

She grinned, looking up and down the street before picking a direction and walking, wondering what treasures she might find ahead.

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**_Reviews, please! Let me know what you think! ^_^_**


	8. Chapter 8

**_Sorry that you all had to wait a bit for an update, I've been dealing with some nasty migraines that I just have not been able to write with. I post updates on my Tumblr if you follow me (Arialenelove)!_**

**_Here is a nice LONG chapter since I made you all wait a bit for an update._**

**_Hopefully I'll be able to knock out some chapters in the next week here, fingers crossed. Hope you enjoy! Love! ~Aria_**

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Elsa awoke the next morning to the same ordeal, the sun's bright rays coming in through the harsh reflections of the ice and snow of her icy palace; she moaned and found some refuge in burying her head in her hands. The now familiar strains of Jack's laughter caused her to slowly work her light abused eyes open to see him stretched out on his back at the end of the bed, tossing a ice-made object into the air over and over again.

She stared at him, burrowing down into the covers a little, shocked that he would be so blatantly in her bed chamber like this; Jack didn't seem to notice, focusing on tossing the top over and over again.

"It's early," she complained. "And bright."

He grinned, catching the ice ball and turning his head to look at her. "I don't sleep, remember?"

"We got back late though," she countered, slowly sitting up in the bed.

"I don't think the sun got the notice," Jack countered, still smiling at her. "Besides, it wouldn't have taken so long if you hadn't bought so many things."

A smile turned up the edges of her mouth as she fought it, moving her hand up to cover her mouth in a faked yawn.

"You haven't been there long, have you?"

He shook his head. "Maybe a couple of minutes, did some exploring after dropping you and your parcels off. Got back, decided to wait here for you to wake up, figured it wouldn't be long with the sun coming up higher in the sky. Also, decided Russia isn't a good place to go right now."

She quirked a brow at him questioningly. "Oh?"

He shook his head. "Epidemic of some kind, thought you might like to try France instead?"

"France? Are you sure that's safe?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, I got myself informed on various world events when I became Queen, and France being one of the major world powers," she said, trailing off for a moment. "Well, with the Revolution, and then the issues with the monarchy, and then that one strange man declaring himself Emperor and trying to conquer Europe?"

"Yeah, I don't think he liked me when he tried to take over Russia. I have lots of fun in Russia in winter; they are a good, hardy people the Russians."

Elsa's eyes crinkled in amusement before turning skeptical again.

"You think it's okay though?"

"Yeah! Just, don't mention the Queen word around them and you should be fine. They are still a little head-chop friendly."

She wasn't sure if he was joking or not as she ran a nervous hand around her neck. He laughed, jumping up off the bed and bouncing on his heels.

"Come on, it will be fun! I didn't get breakfast because you HAVE to have FRESH Croissants in France. With fruit," he said, his big blue eyes pleading with her.

She slid out of her icy bed, giving him a hesitant smile as she examined herself, opting for a less noticeable outfit; if the French were still a little wary of royalty, she'd rather try and blend in. She spun up a simple blue gown, with small darker blue embroideries of tiny snowflakes along the hem, waist and neckline. She still wore the silver signet ring on her right hand, but no other jewelry. Her hair was pulled back into the style she had worn on her coronation; people tended to find it more proper that way if they didn't know who she was. She felt that she looked simple, but still sophisticated.

She turned, looking at Jack waiting impatiently at the door and walked towards him as he bounced towards the balcony like an excited child.

"So you speak a French then?" he asked, as he slid an arm around her waist, preparing to take off on their day's adventure.

"A little," she answered. "I've been working on learning it."

"Excellent," he replied, kicking up into the air with ease, rising high into the air and angling towards their destination.

Anna paced around her bedroom, her hands working together in worry as she occasionally walked to the window to glance out. Kristoff watched her from the book he was slowly reading to Lisbet and Erik, each of them situated on either side of him. Anna turned and began her pacing, her lower lip caught between her teeth in her worry.

"Anna," he said quietly, turning the page for the twins to bend over to look at the painted illustrations on the page. "She'll be fine."

Anna gave him a nervous smile, her eyes darting to the window before she walked back to the couch, cuddling with her daughter as Kristoff began to read from the book of fairy tales again. She glanced up again at the window, hoping she'd glance Elsa coming back to the castle early or hear some racket outside that would alert her that her sister was okay.

They soared over the vast blue darkness of the North sea again, travelling further this time over it's great depths but in a different direction this time. Jack smiled and teased her as she nervously practiced her French, watching as her brow furrowed with concentration as the language flowed off his tongue with ease. The wind gusted around them, pulling at the folds of her dress and her carefully pinned hair, she would have been chilled if the cold affected her.

Then, like the day before, she saw the long line of land in the distance, the darkened image coming closer and clearer as they neared it. The waves of the North Sea crashed against great white-grey rock cliffs in a terrible beauty that bespoke of their power and elegance. Grey shores of rock and sand spread out between the cliffs, like small inlets of refuge for the weary seafaring travelers.

Elsa watched, flying overhead, as small children dashed briefly out into the waves, their parents standing close behind with watchful eyes as screams of surprised delight reached their position aloft in the air. Jack chuckled, glancing down at the groups of people enjoying the warmed summer day on the rocky beach.

"I never understood the joy of summer," Elsa admitted, glancing up at the heated sky.

"Neither did I," Jack agreed, turning his smiling face to her. "But, as we are somewhat ice dwelling persons, I think that is to be expected."

"A fair point. I suppose it's good you don't fly with wings," Elsa agreed, smiling back and looking ahead at the sprawling French landscape.

Jack chuckled. "Also good I'm not Greek."

Ahead of her, was lush green land with weaving mazes of hedges, punctuated with small homes and farmhouses. Trees weaved in the lines of the rows of bushes and bramble that made up the rows of hedges that so neatly separated neighboring land and pinned in livestock. Groups of sheep and cattle grazed about gently, occasionally running spooked by groups of children or farmers with eager to please herding dogs.

Towns also passed below, their carefully laid out streets with enticing smells of the morning's baked goods reaching up into the sky to greet them, and the spires of churches reaching high to kiss the sky, their brightly colored glass windows eagerly grasping for the sun's rays to fill their darkened stony interiors. People milled about in the towns as they shouted to each other or mingled in small groups, children running wild as they played with each other, toy dolls and swords brandished eagerly.

Her stomach rumbled, protesting it's empty state as they passed over the alluring smells of the village.

"Are we close?" she asked, feeling slightly guilty for asking, a slight blush creeping over her features.

He chuckled and nodded, gesturing with his staff at the rising spires of a distant metropolis rising out of the land ahead.

"Paris," he said, in a hushed tone close to her ear. She felt herself smiling, despite her earlier fears and reservations.

Her eyes took in the sights growing closer and closer to them as Jack looked for a place to land, finally settling on another small park outside of the city; a startled group of birds took off in a flurry as their feet touched the grassy ground, their feathers an angry symphony of displeasure.

Jack quickly pulled her arm, pressing her back into a tree and hushing her as she began to protest; two older girls ran past with their pink skirts held up to their knees as they giggled madly along the dirt path, taking pauses in their merriment to speak quickly to each other as they hurried along. Elsa chuckled, stepping forward to cautiously look down the path before stepping out, smiling up at the sunny morning as they worked towards the city ahead of them.

Jack babbled in her ear about the city, apparently this was one that he had liked to watch all of the grand parties and soirees that the nobility had held before the war and revolution. He flew in front of her, twirling an invisible partner around on the path while smiling back at her. She giggled softly, moving her hand up to cover her mouth, memories of the both of them dancing on the frosty lake floating through her mind.

They crossed a bridge into the city proper, Elsa smiling as she looked around to take in the brick and stone buildings stretching for miles in every direction, banners and clothing strung from lines pulled between windows. People hurried along the streets, speaking to each other or muttering to themselves; children bumped between them, shouting and waving toys as ran past. More smells came to Elsa, of bakeries and flowers, and the more unsavory ones that came with living in a city; the ever present scent of waste and foul water.

"This way," Jack said, leaping on several stones of the side of a bridge, smiling and gesturing for her to follow.

She hurried after him as he rose and fell above the crowding streets, his chuckle floating back to her on more than one occasion. He led her to a large, almost imposing looking brown stone building; large men in uniforms stood outside the building, scanning the crowd carefully for suspicious person.

"Banque de France," Jack said, finally standing still beside her.

She blinked at him, confused.

"You need money, don't you?" he asked, confusion coming over his own features.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, her hand going to her belt purse with the few varied British coins still inside. "Yes, I suppose they won't take the coins from yesterday."

Jack smirked at her and held out his hand for her to go first. "They tend to get upset when I open the door first, or else I would gladly be a gentleman for you, my lady."

She blushed, moving forward again across the road and up the steps. The guardsman barely spared her a glance as she passed them to open the door. Inside, a man with neatly trimmed hair sat at a desk in the center of the aisle, looking up as she walked in. She smiled at him, stepping forward, fumbling at her belt to detach the purse. Past him, she could see a row of gated teller positions with some men busily working, others helping other patrons.

Elsa took a deep breath, hoping that her year of lessons would prove useful now. Jack smiled at her as he floated past, going to investigate the building. He rose high to the ceiling, wanting to look at the paintings on the ceiling. She turned her attention back to the annoyed looking clerk.

"I'd like to exchange these to francs, and pull a credit from my account," she said, holding up the purse of coins and her right had to show the signet ring on her finger.

The man glanced at it, then to her, then back at it. It was rare for a woman to have a signet ring, she swallowed, hoping that her more simple attire didn't raise suspicion for him. He quickly looked bored with her, gesturing her to one of the empty gated bays behind him, calling "Etienne" to get the man's attention.

Etienne's head shot up, a younger man in his early 30s with dark hair and a quick smile. He waved at her, Elsa thanked the desk clerk, who had already bent his head back down to the ledger book he was writing it, and worked her way over to Etienne.

"How can I help you today?" he asked, leaning forward and speaking in quick French. That quick smile of his reaching his eyes as he looked at her face.

She paused, considering her words and replied haltingly. "I'd like to exchange these British coins and make a credit withdrawal from my account."

She placed the coin purse on the small counter, sliding it into the small opening the gate for him to take.

"Do you have an account?" he asked, more slowly this time.

"Yes, we should," she said, watching as he poured the coins out of the bag and began to sort them quickly. The dozen or so coins that were left were counted, written on a small pad that he had in front of him and then carefully stowed into a drawer beside him.

"How much would you like to withdraw?"

"50 more francs please, and I don't have a slip drawn up."

"Not a problem, ma'am," he said, opening another drawer and pulling out pre-made parchment slips, his pen moving quickly across the lines as he filled it in for her.

"My seal?" she asked, holding up her right hand.

He nodded, turning in his seat and stepping out of sight.

After a few minutes more, Etienne returned carrying the small pewter bowl of the melted wax carefully. She slid the slip back towards him, watching as he poured the white wax in a small pool while she discreetly chilled her ring again. She pressed her ring into the molten wax, carefully rolling it out to leave the impression and wiping her hand on the handkerchief that he offered her.

"Thank you, ma'am," he said. "Your name, and house please, for the record."

She swallowed, leaning forward to speak softly. "Elsa, Royal House of Arendelle."

He looked up at her in surprise for a moment before she turned back to cleaning the remaining wax off her hand. He nervously counted out the rest of her money, carefully putting it into her purse and setting it in front of her.

"Thank you," she said, fitting it back on her belt.

He bowed, his eyes wide now. "Th-Thank you, your ma-"

She cut him off with a finger held to her lips.

"-Ma'am," he supplied instead, swallowing.

Jack chuckled beside her, floating down from his position aloft. "Causing trouble already?"

She turned and headed for the door, excited for the days adventures, grimacing when her stomach growled again.

"Time for breakfast, I think," she murmured softly.

Jack leaped in front of her, grinning. "LOTS of places in Paris have great food. Let's find a nice little cafe for you, then it's off to see the sights!"

She smiled, her eyes squinting as they stepped out of the darkened bank and into the sunlight. Elsa stood off to the side on one of the upper steps for a moment, letting her eyes adjust and wishing that she had made herself a head covering.

"Come on!" Jack called from the bottom of the step, leaning on his staff.

She skipped down the stairs, her eyes wide as she began to take in the sights of the city again as she followed behind Jack to start the day's adventure.

Jack had been right, as she quickly found a crowded cafe with enticing smells and delicious looking fare that she found a seat towards the back that she settled down in. Jack sat next to her, insisting that she order extra for him to share with her.

"French food is the best," he said, pulling his legs up under him on the seat, his languid pose the opposite of Elsa's refined posture.

She carefully ordered when the small maid came by, patiently adding Jack's additions as he bounced in the chair beside her with his requests. Her tea came out first, the dark brew's scent wafting up to her as she measured in sugar and a dollop of cream, taking a deep sip and sighing, her eyes closing in pleasure. Jack chuckled.

"Good tea?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded, her hands cupping around the small cup.

"I love a good cup of tea," she said, taking another blissful sip. "It's the best thing to wake up to in the morning."

She sipped her tea, her eyes closed as the warm brew settled inside her. She jumped as the maid came back, setting a small pot on the table before her with a wink. Elsa smiled up at her, thanking her as the girl hurried away. Jack fidgeted beside her, looking back behind her every few moments to see when they would bring out her food.

"Come on," he muttered, bouncing on his chair again. "I'm starving."

She snorted softly, smiling around the edge of the teacup. "You don't need to eat."

He scowled at her, poking her side as she took another sip, almost making her spill the contents down the front of her dress. She turned to him, wide eyed.

"Don't do that!" she hissed softly, looking around and setting her cup down on the table.

"What? Are you ticklish?" he asked, his eyes brightening in amusement.

She blushed, trying to think of something to say when the maid reappeared, setting rashers of bacon and eggs before her carefully, a basket of croissants and a bowl of cut fruit.

"Do you need anything else mum?" the maid asked, a careful smile on her face as she bobbed a curtsy.

"This is all, thank you," Elsa replied, setting a napkin on her lap and leaning forward.

Jack clapped his hands as they tucked into their meal, enjoying the flavors of the delicious breakfast. Elsa carefully broke off bits of food and set them at the side of her plate for Jack to steal for himself, not wanting to frighten anyone in the cafe with a whole croissant or piece of bacon floating in the air while he ate. She ordered a second pot of tea, savoring the brew as Jack teased her; she usually drank more than this while working at home.

He talked to her, telling her more about the city while she listened, not really able to reply in more than careful nods and smiles. When they were finished, she set her coins on the table, smiling at the maid standing back in the corner and left the busy cafe.

As she walked out the door, she was jostled by a gentleman standing by the entrance. He moved quickly, grabbing her arm and murmuring his apologies; he wasn't able to see Jack steading her from behind. She gave him a soft smile, stepping away and walking in the direction that Jack had indicated. The man had given her a chill, he'd stared at her as he'd held her arm and given a toothy grin. His clothes had been fine quality at one point, but were now threadbare. The revolution and Napoleon's subsequent rule had been hard on the country, the nobility especially, and that was exactly who Elsa wanted to avoid.

She looked up, seeing Jack floating backwards beside her. She frowned, whispering up at him as they hurriedly walked.

"What is it?"

"He's still looking at you," he said, a note of concern in his voice.

Elsa felt a disgusted chill run down her spine. "I'm sure it's nothing. Come on, let's just hurry on."

He watched for a moment more before turning, smiled at her and led her through the streets to the towering cathedral of Notre Dame. (a/n: If you haven't seen Notre Dame before, google it. I can't describe it in enough words to give it justice)

She was awestruck as they approached, at the towering stone building with it's great towers and impressive stone work. Colored glass sparkled through the bits of stone as the morning sun hit it, giving the cathedral a majestic feel, and they weren't even inside yet. Jack nudged her, she looked up at him and smiled before they walked forward.

"Sorry," she said. "It's just, just so..."

She wasn't able to find the words to describe it.

"Yeah," he said, walking beside her. "It is."

Reaching the front near the entrance, there was a young woman dressed in rags with several young children huddled around her nervously. The woman held up a battered wooden cup as a couple ahead of Elsa entered, flinching as the man spat on her. Elsa's eyes softened and she hurried over to the woman, bending down and pulling the handkerchief from the bank from her pocket.

"Here," she said, offering the cloth to the woman. "Take this."

The woman looked up at her with sad eyes, cautiously taking the cloth and wiping her dirty face with it.

"Thank you," she said softly, offering the cloth back to Elsa.

Elsa shook her head. "It's fine, you keep it. What happened?"

The woman looked down, ashamed. "Me, me man. Drank a lot, so we never had much to begin with. Then he got himself killed working at the docks. I can't find work anywhere."

Elsa stared at her, a pain twisting in her heart as she looked at the woman.

"What do you do?"

"Sewing, me lady," she said, sneezing into the cloth. "But all the sewing houses is full."

Elsa's lips pursed together as she thought for a moment, smiling as a little girl poked her head out to stare at her.

"Are you an Angel?" she whispered, causing Jack to laugh behind her.

Elsa smiled at her. "No, I'm a Fairy actually."

The girl's eyes lit up, another rustling of cloth revealed another younger girl on the woman's other side who also stared up at Elsa.

"Really?" the first girl asked.

The woman smiled up at Elsa, thankful for the small bit of joy she was bringing to her young girls. Elsa glanced at her.

"Do you think you can learn a new language?"

The woman blinked at her. "Beg pardon?"

"A new language. I'm not from here, I'm from a different country," Elsa said. "Arendelle."

"But, I don't have the money to get there," the woman protested.

"I'll pay. You say you can sew, and sew well?"

The woman nodded hard. "Oh yes my lady, I'm good with a needle, and a good worker, I promise you."

Elsa moved and opened her purse, pulling out several large coins and holding them out for the woman.

"Go, gather your things, and get some new clothes. I'm going to go inside here, then I'll make some travel arrangements for you all. What's your name?"

"Ma-Marguerite," she stammered. "Th-thank you, my lady. Thank you."

Marguerite moved forward to hug Elsa tightly, tears in her eyes. "You're an angel, my lady."

"No, mama, didn't you hear, she's a fairy," the older girl said, smiling up at Elsa.

"Oh, but you'll need something for the driver to prove that you are the right person," Elsa muttered, patting her pocket.

Pausing, she lifted the hem of her skirt slightly and tore a strip of her chemise off. She held the piece between her hands, ignoring the gasp from Marguerite, and concentrated on putting her power into the cloth. A moment later, she moved her hands apart to reveal her snowflake fabric, smiling at the awed little girls. She held out the fabric for Marguerite, who was staring at her in amazement as well.

"This will work," Elsa said. "I'll give him a piece as well."

Marguerite took it with shaking hands, looking down at it before slowly looking back up at her.

"Arendelle. I've heard stories but I thought they were all just," she trailed off, her eyes widening. "You, you are?"

Elsa nodded. "Now hurry and get moving while you have daylight, best time to travel you know."

Marguerite nodded, still awestruck.

"Will you be meeting us?" she asked, nervously.

Elsa shook her head. "No," she gave a smile, looking down at the girls. "I plan to fly off later tonight."

The girls giggled as their mother turned and led them away, telling them of what needed to be done so they could be off to their new home. Elsa smiled, watching them go.

"Well," Jack said, leaning on his staff beside her. "Aren't you just the giving type."

She didn't stop smiling as she turned, walking into the cathedral, ignoring his verbal jab.

"Didn't you see how she looked? She needed help, and I was in a position to help."

"Lots of people in this city need help," he countered as they walked through the small antechamber.

"Well, I can only do so much," she said. "But something is better than nothing. Now, let me enjoy this."

He came up beside her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and hugged her.

"I think it was very nice of you."

She smiled, still walking forward and gasped as she entered the main part of the cathedral.

She swore that the ceiling reached for the heavens, the curved vault delicately holding the thousands of pounds of stone aloft above their heads. The stained glass windows lit the inside of the chamber spilled multi-colored light into the cathedral. Various statues carved by master sculptors sat carefully away in small niches around the edges of the large room. Candles set in carefully placed candelabras filled the room with the scent of burning wax and an almost ethereal glow as she carefully and slowly worked her way around, taking time to admire every work.

As they reached the end of their self-guided tour, the hum and dong of the bells from far above them began to sing. Elsa closed her eyes, smiling as the sounds of the large bells played in a careful rhythm sang above her, their music filling the cathedral's large room. As their song ended, the music slowly fading away, she sighed.

"I don't think anything can top that," she murmured.

Jack laughed, bouncing ahead of her and grinning again. "Well, if you like art so much, I know another place you'll like. Come on!"

She smiled, taking a few steps forward, pausing at the poor box at the door to drop a few coins inside before following Jack out. She wished she could paint the scenes inside that she saw, they were all so beautiful.

Outside in the sun again, she squinted, her eyes adjusting again as Jack grinned, waiting for her. Suddenly, he paused, floating up a little bit and looked behind her, causing her to look behind her.

"What is it?" she asked, trying to see with her sun-shocked eyes.

Jack frowned, not saying anything for a moment before floating back down and shaking his head. "Nothing, I thought I saw that man again. I guess I'm just seeing illusions."

She smiled at him. "Ah, my hero."

He grinned at her, bowing down and sweeping his arm out. "I would offer my arm, but I believe it would look odd for people looking at you."

She giggled, beginning to walk with him close beside her. They chatted carefully as they crossed a bridge and began heading west towards an art museum, Jack had called it the Musée du Louvre, Elsa insisted that they stop at several shops along the way, smiling sheepishly as Jack groaned. In one shop, with a particularly kind older man that spoke slow French with Elsa, he told her where she could go to arrange for travel for her young family. Thanking him, they took a slight detour there to make the arrangements, Elsa making the matching cloth for the driver before they reached the small shop. She told the driver to wait for Marguerite near Notre Dame, not knowing how soon the woman would be ready. She was assured it wasn't an issue for the price they were charging her; money talked, and Elsa wanted to make sure the group of girls were well taken care of.

Jack kept looking behind them, worrying Elsa but he insisted that he saw nothing. She tried to relax, to concentrate on enjoying looking through the fine fabrics and fashion but finally gave up with Jack's nervousness.

"Let's go to the museum, okay?" she asked, moving the one bag she had procured higher on her shoulder and smiled up at him.

He nodded smiling at her, his hand coming to rest protectively on her back as she left the shop and turned to head towards the museum. It wasn't far before she saw the tall, elegant iron gates that whispered of something grand sitting just behind them.

"This was originally a palace," Jack said, excitement in his voice. "They turned it into an art museum after the Revolution."

Elsa smiled, marveling as the palace behind the gates came into view, the sprawling white stone building topped with red curved tiles. A grand stone archway stood at the center of the iron gates, the entry point for the palace turned museum. They worked their way inside, Jack floating above the crowds of people while Elsa bought her ticket and picked up a small printed map of the museum, tiny notations of where various works were throughout the museum marked on the paper.

They worked their way through the rooms, Elsa was amazed at the size of the museum. While it had looked large on the outside, the inside was equally gigantic with paintings, statues and antiquities placed everywhere she turned. She saw works by Raphael, Titian, Veronese, Poussin and Rembrandt. There were antiquities from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. There was Canova's statue Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss, that they both stood at for a long while, amazed at the delicately carved stone cloth and wings. They moved to see the new exhibit of the Venus de Milo, Elsa waiting patiently to get close to be able to see the statue from the mass of people crowded around it.

She waded out of the crowd, unnerved by all the people around her in such close proximity and worked into the next room, knowing that Jack would be close behind her. The next room was almost empty, a massive painting hanging fully on one wall and fully taking up the space. She looked at her map, trying to find a placard that gave the name of the painting.

"The Wedding at Cana," came a male voice from behind her, causing her to jump a whirl about. "By Veronese."

It was the man from earlier, the one she'd bumped into at the cafe. She blushed, fumbling with her map in her hands and took a few steps away from him, moving closer to the painting.

"Th-thank you," she said, looking up at the work.

He stepped closer to her, standing just beside her now and smiling down at her; the scent of alcohol and heavy cologne washed over her, causing her nose to sting. She cast a nervous glance towards the other room, hoping that Jack would find her soon.

He caught her hand, dipping down to press a kiss to the back of her hand, causing her skin to crawl.

"Marquis Vernell Pierce," he said, smiling up at her again. "My dear lady."

She gave him a nervous smile, taking another step away from him and removing her hand from his, glancing back at the door and barely succeeding in not breathing an audible sigh of relief when Jack wandered through. His eyes widened when he saw Vernell standing next to her, and he hurried over next to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, looking her up and down before glaring at the man.

She gave a very slight nod and looked back up at the large painting, shifting her stance nervously.

Vernell stepped close to her again, pointing his hand at the painting close to her face as he spoke about parts of the painting, pointing out figures and symbolism while Elsa slowly attempted to inch away.

"Biggest painting the world, you know," Vernell said, turning back to look at her with that strange smile of his.

She nodded. "That's interesting."

"Weighs a ton and a half with the frame."

She nodded again, giving a small half smile. "I thank you for the art lesson, Monsieur Pierce. Good day."

She turned, trying to hurry from the room when he caught her arm, causing her to look up at him in alarm.

"Oh, no trouble," he said, smiling at her. "Shall we go see more paintings together? I am quite well versed in most of the paintings here in the museum."

"No," she said, swallowing. "I was just about to leave actually."

"Excellent," he replied, moving to tuck her arm into his. "I know a marvelous place I can take you for dinner then."

Elsa cast a worried look at Jack, who was glaring hard at Vernell. Neither of them knew what to do as he led her from the room and navigated the halls.

"Elsa," Jack said, a note of fear in his voice. "I don't know what to do."

"Just, wait for now," she mumbled softly in Norwegian, moving her free hand over her mouth.

"What was that?" Vernell said, smiling down at her.

"I didn't say anything," Elsa said, looking up at him, attempting to shift her arm in his tight grasp. He held tight to her, still smiling down at her.

The walk was brief, Elsa paying more attention to Jack moving around them, trying everything he could think of; creating a small ice patch for Vernell to slip on, which barely tripped the man up. Jack tried tossing a ball of snow, which Vernell laughed off as something the children must be doing, rolling his shoulders. With every small thing Jack tried, the look of worry and helplessness rose in his eyes, causing Elsa to try and swallow the ball of worry that was rising in her throat. She gave Jack a small smile, nodding to try and reassure him. Things weren't that bad, it was only dinner.

Vernell turned them down a small side street, rambling on about some history of this portion of the city that Elsa wasn't listening to. She looked around, trying to take in her surroundings to get some idea of where she was at.

"Here we are," Vernell said, stopping in front of a darkened cafe with dirty oil lamps lit at the front on either side of the name, "The Purple Poppy." Elsa swallowed, looking up at him with a skeptical look.

"I know, I know! It doesn't look like much, but I promise that they have some wonderful food. And I told my carriage driver to meet me here in about an hour, then I'll be able to show you around Paris in the best way."

Elsa gave him a nervous smile, giving Jack a nervous glance as Vernell gestured her forward, still smiling at her. As they entered, Elsa's tension rose seeing the groups of men drinking or passed out on the floor and against walls.

"I don't-" she started, trying to back out.

"Oh, don't be put off," Vernell said. "As I said, some of the best fare in Paris. you'll see!"

Vernell gestured to a bored barmaid in a low-cut, tight dress who sauntered forward, looking Elsa up and down with a pitying glance before looking at Vernell, giving a half-hearted gesture towards an empty table.

"What'll it be?" she asked.

"Your house special, for the lady, and your stew for me," Vernell replied.

The barmaid turned away, keeping her bored expression on her face and sauntered back to the back, pushing open a door leading to the kitchen.

"I want to see what this special he ordered for you is," Jack said, hurrying after her, sliding in just as the door closed.

Elsa watched him, nervously turning back to her strange dinner partner who was watching her intently.

"So, I never caught your name," he said, still giving her that strange smile of his.

Elsa swallowed, the feeling that she shouldn't tell him the truth washing over her.

"A-Anna," she said, folding her hands in her lap. "I'm Anna."

"That's a lovely name," he purred, leaning over the table at her. "And where are you from? You speak French very well, but a Frenchman always knows."

She swallowed again, and again thinking of another lie.

"Norway. I'm just here visiting for a time, I leave tomorrow."

"I see, I see. Have you had a good time?"

She nods, jumping as the back door to the kitchen slams open, the barmaid returning with two mugs that she sat down heavily before them before turning to go back to the kitchen. Jack slipped back through the door, his eyes landing on Vernell with a heavy glare as he flew to Elsa's side.

"They are drugging your food with opium," he said, his hand tight around his staff.

"What am I going to do?" she murmured, again in Norwegian, coughing into her hand after.

"What was that?" Vernell said, smiling at her.

"Just a cough," she replied in halting French.

Jack was silent for a long moment, thinking.

"He's going to expect you to eat it, he did this on purpose, the creep," he said, still glaring at the flirting Frenchman. "I'll have to eat it for you."

She looked up at him in alarm. He turned to look down at her, his expression softening as he smiled at her.

"I'll be fine, I'm a spirit, remember? It can't harm me."

"What?" Vernell said, looking around.

"Nothing," Elsa said, slowly looking back down at him with a quick nod to Jack. "Thought I heard something."

The door slammed open again, the barmaid bringing plates of food out this time that she also set on the table heavily, seeming wholly disinterested in the couple as she disappeared to the back again. Elsa looked down at her plate, examining the mashed vegetables and slices of meat covered in a strange grey sauce. The plate was decorated with a small purple flower at the top. Vernell had a wide, shallow bowl of a thick stew, served with a chunk of crusty bread.

"The sauce," he said. "Is what makes the dish. They are famous for it."

Jack glared at him. "You miserable bastard."

Elsa forced a smile to her lips as Vernell watched her intently, waiting for her to try her dish. She swallowed, looking down at her drugged plate and picked up the worn fork that had been left on the table. She carefully worked a bit of the mashed vegetable onto the fork, careful to avoid the sauce and took a bite, sending a small prayer up that it was only the sauce that was drugged.

She didn't taste the food, only worked it in her mouth and swallowed. She smiled at him, nodding and taking another bite of the vegetable. Jack stood beside her, watching the other man intently as Elsa took small, cautious bites of her dangerous meal. When Vernell finally looked down at his own plate, that smile still stretching across his lips, Jack's hand shot out to Elsa's plate, grabbing a slice of the meat and quickly shoving it into his own mouth.

"Ugh, that sauce is disgusting. I don't know what he's talking about," Jack said, his lips turning down at the taste.

Vernell glanced up, his eyes darting down to her plate before smiling widely up at her. Elsa chewed as if she was finishing the piece of meat, giving him a small nod as if she was enjoying it.

"Good, no?"

She swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump of fear in her throat rather than any food.

"Would you like some?" she asked, gathering up some on her fork and holding it out for him with a smile.

He stared at her proffered bite of food, a nervous smile coming to him too quickly as he shook his head, gesturing to his own plate.

"No, thank you dear. I have more than enough here of my own."

The rest of the meal progressed much of the same, with Jack sneaking bits of food of Elsa's plate while Vernell had his head turned or looking down at his own plate; Elsa only ate the smallest amount of the vegetable that she could, usually placing her empty fork in her mouth to withdrawal when Vernell looked up.

As she finished her plate, or rather as Jack finished her plate, all the while uttering his disgust at the taste, Vernell's excitement seemed to rise.

"He's got something planned," Jack said between bites, rubbing his mouth on the back of his hand.

Elsa nodded, she'd come to that conclusion long before this point.

"You look like you are done," Vernell said, pushing up from his chair with that wide grin on his face.

"But, you aren't," she said, attempting to stall.

He waved a hand at the plate. "They always give too much."

He counted out a few small coins from his own purse, placing them on the counter and offered his arm.

"Shall we?" he asked, his eyes blazing with a strange excitement she hadn't seen before. It scared her.

He hurried her out the door, Jack close behind her with a comforting hand on her waist.

"I'll think of something," he promised, the worry evident in his voice. She swallowed as they stepped out into the pre-night air, streaks of sunset starting to form across the sky.

"Ah, excellent," Vernell said, holding an arm up. "Here is my driver now."

He gestured to a dark carriage, with heavy dark curtains covering the windows. The driver sitting at the seat holding the reigns wore dark livery, almost looking like a shadow against the dark coach. Vernell stepped forward, opening the door and began to try and help Elsa inside.

"It will be hard to see the city from inside that dark coach," she countered, looking around.

"Oh dear, yes," Vernell said, not sounded the least bit sorry. "I suppose we shall just have to make do."

He tried harder to get her into the coach this time, using more force to try and overpower her. Elsa tried to push at him, opening her mouth to protest his use of force when his hand came up, clamping around her mouth and he shoved her bodily into the coach with a snarl.

"Get in there."

The cold sense of dread that had been at the back of Elsa's mind washed over her now as she watched with wide eyes as Jack hurried in behind Vernell, the Marquis barking "Drive!" out to his driver before slamming the door and turning that strange smile on Elsa again.

"I must say," he said now, sitting on the seat opposite her as the carriage kicked into motion. "That was easier than I thought it would be. I've heard so many stories of these things going wrong, but you," he laughed. "You were just so naive. Perhaps I should pass on that the downtrodden Lords should target foreign women, you seem to be easy targets."

She stared at him in shock and disgust.

"Oh please," he continued. "I saw you leaving the bank with that huge purse of coins, then just giving some out to that beggar woman like it was nothing to you, then putting even more in that poor box. I knew if you gave money away that easily that you had to come from lots of money."

"Marguerite," Elsa whispered, her eyes widening.

Vernell scoffed. "I didn't waste my time. I want more than a few paltry francs that you gave to her to keep her and her pitiful brats alive for a few more months. No, what I want is the whole thing. Which is why, you'll be marrying me. You see, that lovely meal that you had was drugged, and I know of a vicar outside of Paris that doesn't care what state the bride is in, be it drugged or sober."

She stared at him, appalled and dumbfoundead. Jack cursed at him, spitting like a cat while he attempted to do something. While Vernell stared at her, a self-satisfied grin on her face, realization dawned on her, causing her to feel like an idiot.

"My name isn't Anna," she said, looking him coldly in the eye, his smug demeanor fading. "It's Elsa, of Arendelle."

"And you didn't choose a good target," she spat, the fear that she had held turning to fury. "You chose me."

She tapped her foot on the floor of the coach, watching the fear rise over his face as the floor turned to ice and ran up his legs, pinning him to his seat. Jack snapped his head back to look at her, a grin coming over his face.

"And you aren't going to like that you messed with me," she continued, moving her hand to pin his shoulders to the back of the seat, the ice spreading down his arms. He looked around, panic in his eyes now.

"Because, while you boasted that you are a Marquis, I'm a Queen. And you don't threaten me, and mine," she said, leaning close to him. He swallowed, squirming in his icy cage.

She looked up at Jack. "I think I'm ready to leave Paris, what about you?" she asked him in Norwegian.

He stared at her, that wide grin of his still in place and a look of awe in his eyes.

"Good job," he said, offering a hand out to her. "I don't think he's going to be trying that soon."

She looked back at Vernell. "I don't think he'll be moving anytime soon either."

Vernell was still too stunned to speak as he stared at her. She dipped down, picking up her shopping bag that she had some how managed to hang onto throughout the whole exchange and worked the door of the carriage open. Jack chuckled, working an arm around her waist before he stopped, looking at the small exit.

"You're gonna have to trust me on this one," he said, stepping around in front of her.

"I don't like the sound of that," she warned, glancing back at Vernell.

Jack chuckled. "Oh, it will be fun, I promise."

She sighed, watching as he re-positioned her slightly. Finally he stepped close to her, his arms wrapping tight around her, his staff behind her. She wrapped her arms around his chest from some instinct, her hands settling on the tops of his shoulders.

"Ready?" he asked, smiling down at her.

She nodded. He picked her up, and dove out the entrance of the carriage, spinning upwards with a laugh. She sighed, glad to be away from that odious Marquis.

"Oh look," Jack said, causing her to look around.

They were back next to the Notre Dame Cathedral, hovering above the tall towers that held the massive bells. She looked down, seeing the carriage she had hired for Marguerite waiting below, it's own doors open as the woman loaded her children inside, all of them dressed in new clothes. Elsa smiled. Even if her own experience in the city hadn't been the most favorable, she'd saved their lives, contrary to what Vernell had said. Perhaps one day she'd come back and have a more pleasant time in Paris for herself.

"Let's go home Jack," she said, unconsciously resting her head against his chest, tired from the adventures of the day.

He chuckled, tightening his grip around her and moved, shooting up into the air and carrying them both aloft and north, back towards the Ice Palace.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Okay, so want to clear up a little something with the last chapter with Vernell. He wasn't just mildly inconvenienced and frozen to the seat of the carriage that he was in. He was HEAVILY frozen to that seat, enough so that he wasn't able to move, so the ice was thick. He had this kidnapping planned, so his driver would have been informed to keep driving even if he heard any screaming, shouts or anything from the back of the coach. Travelling by coach/carriage to another city wouldn't have been a quick jaunt, it would have been an hour or several hours of travel. ALL OF THAT SAID, Vernell was sitting in basically a block of ice for several hours in threadbare clothing, if he didn't die from hypothermia, he certainly had SEVERE frostbite to his major limbs (which, the treatment for that in the mid-19th century was usually amputation). So, to those concerned, Vernell wouldn't have been going anywhere after Elsa was done with him._**

**_So, my apologies for not making it clearer that Vernell did not just get away free and clear, if he lived, it wasn't without serious consequence._**

**_Also, the reason THESE chapters are taking me so long to write is that the research is taking me a bit to do, and I'm trying to do them right. I have taken a few liberties with this chapter, so if you are from Florence and I've messed something up, I'm sorry._**

* * *

Elsa woke the next morning with a smile on her face, stretching out in her icy bed like a cat in a sunbeam; the sun had been nice to her this morning, hiding behind clouds as it had risen. She giggled softly and rolled on her side, remembering the wonderful ending to her not so wonderful day in France.

* * *

Elsa had had them stop in a large port city on the coast of France, still needing to make more travel arrangements for the travelling family; the coaching company had told her this was the best place to purchase a ship.

She'd been in a foul mood following the episode with Vernell, wanting to go about the business in the city as quickly as possible and get back to her ice palace, to her books where she could escape from the harsh reality of the world for the remainder of the day. She arranged for passage to Arendelle with an eager captain on the docks who emphatically assured her that he would be more than able to handle the crossing of the North Sea. She had left the remainder of her funds with the captain, telling him to make Marguerite and her girls comfortable for the journey.

She wandered back into the town, wondering where Jack had flown off to while she had been making all the arrangements. Elsa was tired, she was hungry and she wanted to go home; she wasn't even sure she ever wanted to return to France after having to deal with Vernell.

"All done?" Jack's cheery voice asked from behind her, almost on cue.

She sighed, turning around and nodded. "Yeah, I'm done, everything's all ready for them. And I'm ready to go. I'm ready to just-just," she waved her hand in the direction of Paris. "Just relax from today. Not as fun as yesterday, I have to admit."

Jack gave her a regretful smile, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, today certainly didn't go as expected. I got one last surprise for you though, come on!"

Elsa stared after him for a moment, having a mental debate at how many stares she would get for screaming at the air from the people around her before sighing, casting her eyes skyward and following the spirit, picking up the hem of her gown as he led her into the tall grasses that led up to the tall cliffs overlooking the harbor.

"Jack! What are we doing up here?" she shouted once they were out of earshot of the city.

"You'll see!" he replied, skipping back to her with a wry grin on his face, grabbing her hand to continue to lead her higher on the cliff.

The sun was setting in the sky, the rich colors of sunset spreading across the sky as the sun dipped closer and closer to the sea ahead of them to her right. She enjoyed the scene, and the lack of people around them, as they reached a flat clearing overlooking the harbor. Jack released her hand and hurried forward, holding his hands out wide as she spied the red blanket spread out on the yellow grass, a wicker basket sitting happily in the middle.

"Ta-da!" he said, smiling at her. "Dinner!"

She stared at the scene laid out before her, slowly looking up at Jack with a befuddled expression on her face.

"What?" she asked him, slowly stepping closer.

"Dinner!" he said. "Sunset, on the beach. Wine! I got wine, and other tasty things."

"Jack-" she started.

"I PAID for them," he continued. "I took some coins out of your little purse and left them behind when I took everything. Don't spill anything on the blanket, I took it off a clothesline."

She laughed softly, coming to sit on the blanket and sighed. "Still technically stealing Jack."

"BORROWED the blanket, and it's your dinner too," he countered, settling down beside her and flipping open the basket. "Enjoy the view!"

* * *

"What are you giggling about?" Jack asked her, coming into her room via the balcony doors.

She jumped, turning to look at him.

"You're always coming in here when I'm in bed, it's terribly improper," she said, sitting up straight to look at him.

He grinned at her.

"I won't tell anyone if you won't."

She laughed, throwing snow at him.

"So, Mister Fun, what do you have planned today?"

He grinned, walking lazily around the room, staff across his shoulders and hands dangling across the length.

"Where sounds good? Lots of places are great this time of year; Prussia, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Jamaica!"

"You still feel bad about yesterday, don't you?" she asked, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"It... didn't go the way I had planned, no."

"Well, go wait outside while I get ready," she told him, gesturing towards the door while she slid out of bed. "I'll think about where to go next."

* * *

Anna was fuming, stamping around her and Kristoff's bedchamber while she ranted, her loving husband seated on the bed as he held up one of his hands trying to calm her down.

"She's doing this on purpose!" Anna said, her arms moving about wildly. "She'd be back by now if she wasn't."

"Maybe she just hasn't seen the note Anna," Kristoff attempted to reason calmly.

"She's seen the note!" Anna said, pointing her finger at him accusingly. "She's seen it, and she's ignoring it!"

"I'm sure that isn't the case," he said, watching as she resuming her frantic movements around the room. "She's on vacation, I'm sure she's just enjoying herself."

"STOP defending her! WHY IS SHE DOING THIS?"

Kristoff groaned, laying back on the bed while his wife ranted on around him. He hated pregnancy hormones sometimes.

* * *

Elsa strolled out onto the balcony, tying the ribbon of her freshly made blue bonnet under her chin. She wore the same style of dress from yesterday, with layers of blue fabric making up the modest bodice and snowflake embroideries dancing across and down the skirt.

"So, Italy you said?"

Jack turned and grinned at her from his perch on the railing. "Italy. Italia. Lovely place, don't get to go there as often as I'd like. Awesome food though."

"Do you always think with your stomach?"

"Well, not ALWAYS. So, where to? Rome? Venice? Pisa? Florence?"

"Florence?" she responded, a note of interest in her voice. "I've read about Florence. There is a big church there, right? And a museum."

"Didn't have much luck with the museum yesterday," Jack mumbled, jumping down from his perch.

"Well, I'll just avoid talking to desperate noblemen today."

"Probably a good plan, ready?" he asked, holding out a hand for her to take.

She smiled up at him, taking his proffered hand. "I don't know what I'm going to do with myself next week after all of these adventures you're taking me on."

Jack laughed. "I'll still take you out! Adventures every day!"

Elsa smiled at him but didn't respond, looking around and enjoying the view of her kingdom around her. While the adventure was nice, exploring new places was fun and she was having fun with this wildly mischievous spirit who was now holding her aloft, she still loved Arendelle. She smiled as she watched everything passing below, her travelling companion silently moving them along through the countryside.

"So, tell me about being Queen, you haven't told me about that yet," Jack prompted as they flew along.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, like, what do you do? Wear a crown and look pretty?"

She snorted, giving him a sidelong glance. "Hardly, this is the first time I've been away since being coronated, other than the-the incident of course."

"Right, the one you won't talk about."

She pursed her lips, turning her head back to look ahead, the great blue abyss of the North Sea coming closer and closer on the horizon.

"I'm serious, what do you actually do?"

She turned back to him, looking at him with a look of surprise. "You want to know?"

He grinned and nodded at her. "Yeah, what do you do all day? We have a long trip here, we're going over all of Prussia."

She hesitated, watching him for a long moment before taking a deep breath and began to describe what it was that she did. Her hands started to move, relaxing from their clenched positions on his clothing as they flew as she described how she allowed anyone to come into the palace once a week and make a request of her. She excitedly talked about projects she had enacted since re-opening the gates to the city, restarting many of her father's and even a few of her own, talking with passion about what she was hoping to accomplish for her people. She even spoke eagerly about the paperwork she had to do, with the various budgets and bills that were passed with the help of her advisors. Her love and devotion to leading Arendelle was evident with the eager fire that burned in her eyes as she spoke; Elsa might be enjoying her vacation and the various trips, but she fit into the role of a monarch with an elegant poise.

Jack listened, occasionally asking a question when she hesitated on something and smiling at her enthusiasm for the role that she had been born to take, but had stepped into being a Queen with a regal grace.

The rolling landscapes passed beneath them, the countries of the Netherlands, Prussia, France and Switzerland seeming small as they flew over their countrysides. The rolling fields of farms and wineries, herds of livestock, ponds and lakes, small villages and large cities all going by as they made their journey south. Elsa paused in her own exuberant chatting to marvel at the beauty of the Alps, the snow covered mountain caps reaching heavenward. She laughed as Jack dipped her down to trail her fingers along the crisp snow at the top of one before they spiraled south, the blue expanse of the Mediterranean coming into view as Italy's green hills welcomed them with soft warm breezes.

Small villages and towns were nestled into the high hills of the Italian countryside and showcasing much of the same from the other countries; children running and playing or working the fields alongside their parents, livestock grazing and people shouting at each other with wild gestures. Elsa found it amazing to see the vast differences in culture in the countries, between Arendelle, Scotland and France, but still seeing the people living in the same basic ways.

Jack raised his staff, pointing out the sprawling city coming closer and closer to them, a large river running through the southern part of it's expanse.

"Florence," Jack told her as she took in the sights of the red-brown roofing of renaissance buildings, large wide domes of huge churches and expansive bridges that stretched across the river.

"The river?" she asked, glancing at him as he searched for a place to set her down subtly in the busy city.

"That's the Arno," he responded, turning in the air still before lunging forward, sailing over a high wall and into an expansive, carefully tended garden.

They landed in a hedge, both of them cursing as the leaves and branches pulled at them as they struggled to free themselves.

"Jack!" she hissed as she pulled herself out of the shrubbery, pulling leaves from her hair.

He laughed hard, grinning madly as he flew up out of the brush. "Sorry, came in too fast I guess."

She glared up at him before bending to neaten her skirts. "Yeah, I bet. Where are we?"

Jack shrugged, floating back up into the air to look around. "A garden."

She sighed, casting her eyes skyward. "I gathered that much."

He still grinned as he floated back down, leaning on his staff as he looked at her. "Oh relax, it was fun."

The corners of her mouth slowly turned up into a smile, her amusement of the situation winning out over the her anger with him.

"Regardless," she said, still fighting to keep a straight face. "How do I get out of here? It looks rather odd when I fly."

He joked with her as they weaved through the rock covered paths of the garden, navigating their way out. Lucky for Elsa, the grounds seemed empty save for a few workers carefully trimming and weeding and they all barely spared her a glance as she passed by them.

The large palace appeared ahead of them as they rounded a path, the yellow-brown stone betraying it's age and wealth as she clipped down a stone staircase. Jack flew ahead, still looking for a way out as she trailed behind him.

"Jack, where are we?" she hissed to him, getting nervous at the thought that they might be in some monarch's backyard.

"Relax, it's abandoned, the old Medici palace. Napoleon was the last one to use it," he responded, beckoning her to follow him as he disappeared around a corner of a building.

"Why would they abandon such a place?" she asked as she peaked in a window, seeing white sheets draped over the furnishings inside.

"Here," Jack called, gesturing to a tall iron gate and the river was visible again ahead of them.

She opened it and slipped through, the city coming back into view as she hurried towards the large covered bridge leading away from the palace.

"Well, that was a fun way to start things off," Jack commented, floating along beside her.

She smiled, pausing to look around. "I don't even know where to start."

"Bank? You do have this thing against taking things," Jack suggested. "And I DID return the blanket, thank you."

She grinned as they wove their way through the crowd and across the covered bridge that separated the parts of the city. Inside of the bridge, vendors stood at their stalls and tables showing their finest merchandise for all to see; handcrafted leather goods, silver, pottery, jewelry and even some glassware from Venice all available for the right price. Elsa's eyes were alight at each stall they passed, the fast flow of Italian around them as customers bartered over prices with the sellers.

"This is amazing," she whispered, grinning madly as they made their way to the end. "I must come back here."

"Oh yay," Jack said, a heavy note of sarcasm in his voice. "More shopping. You know, there are a lot of other really cool things here. Lots of statues, that museum I told you about, plus this really amazing church."

Elsa smiled and shook her head at a little girl who offered up a silver bracelet for Elsa's examination before she stepped back out into the open air.

"Plus," Jack continued, perking up a little more. "We've got to find a place that can make gelato."

"Make what?"

"Gelato, it's just, it's amazing," he said, bouncing in front of her. "It's this cold, icy, creamy delicious dessert."

"Okay!" she said, looking around with a smile. "Let's find the bank, then get something to eat, you insatiable spirit."

He laughed, spinning up into the air and led her on through the streets of Florence, pausing as she did to marvel at the statues he'd mentioned, the great works of Michelangelo on display for all to see and enjoy. More vendors crowded various ends and shops, greeting her as she passed with a smile, a display of some item and the lovely, fluid language as they tried desperately to entice her to come take a further look.

The bank was much like it was in Paris, a large stone building with bored guards posted at the door.

"The nice thing about being a Queen of a war-neutral country is knowing that I have a line of credit with every major bank in the world," Elsa murmured to Jack as she walked carefully up the steps. "I suppose I have my great-uncle to thank for that, he rather liked going a little of everywhere in the world."

Jack grinned, watching as she approached the main desk, quickly translating the clerk's Italian and directing her what to say. Elsa was shown to a small room with lush chairs and a large desk before the clerk bowed out, smiling to her and closed the door.

"Well, someone recognized my ring," she murmured, twisting the band around her finger nervously.

"What? Is that bad?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted, settling herself into a chair and smoothing out her skirts.

"So your great-uncle you said?"

She nodded. "Uncle Anders, the youngest of my grandfather's siblings. When he got old enough he just took off from Arendelle, took one of the best ships in the harbor, and didn't return until years later. I remember him telling stories about his trips when I was little, before I," she hesitated. "Before the accident with Anna."

"How much younger was he then?"

"Fifteen years younger than grandfather, he came as quite the surprise to the family."

Jack snorted. "I bet. Sounds like he made the best of it though."

Elsa opened her mouth to reply when there was a knock on the door and a well dressed man stepped in, a deep tray balanced on one arm. He smiled at her, sliding the tray onto the desk with a clink of coins as he let go and bowed to her.

"Apologies, ma'am," he said, straightening. "But do I have the pleasure of addressing her majesty or her royal highness?"

Elsa stared at him, taking a moment before replying. "You speak Norwegian?"

He bowed again, still smiling at her. "We do our best to accommodate all of our patrons, this is the bank the Medici built afterall."

She studied him for a long moment before she nodded, raising her chin up and sitting up a little straighter in her chair.

"I am Elsa," she said regally. "Queen of Arendelle. However, I wish my trip to be kept quiet, is that understood?"

The man bowed again, stepping to take the seat behind the desk.

"Of course your majesty," he said, removing the withdrawal papers from the tray. "I took the liberty of bringing some coins in with me, again my apologies for not knowing who you were. Just a few moments, and I will happily have you on your way."

She watched him as he dipped a quill into an inkpot and began to write quickly, giving him the amount she wanted when he asked.

"So how do you know Norwegian?" she asked, curiously as he struck a match to light the candle with.

"My father was from Oslo, a fur trader," he replied, watching the measure of wax melt in the small bowl above the flame. "Not a very good one I'm afraid. He came here hoping for better fortunes, met my mother, and the rest is history."

She smiled at him, leaning forward as he poured the red wax onto the slip of parchment and carefully rolled her ring into the cooling pool, the imprint of her snowflake signet remaining.

"Very good your majesty," he said, taking her proffered coin purse before counting several different types of coins into it. "Fiorinos are the large coins, the largest denomination, with 100 quattrini," he gestured to the medium sized coin. "To a fiorino and then paolo are the smallest, 40 paolo to a quattrini," he held up the smallest coin for her to see.

She nodded her head, taking the bag to attach back to her belt. "Thank you," she said, standing up and giving him a curt smile.

"No trouble at all," he assured, moving around to open the door for her. "Do you need any assistance getting around our fair city? A guide or lodging?"

"That won't be necessary," she replied, moving out the door as he bowed to her again.

She kept the regal air around her until she was out of the bank, finally relaxing her chin and shoulders as she turned a corner, relieved to see Jack just behind her with a bemused expression on his face.

"Whoa," he said, leaning against the building while she situated herself. "You got all royal on me back there."

She smiled, tucking the purse snugly against her.

"I didn't expect him to know who I was, they certainly didn't in Paris," she said. "But yes, I did."

"I think I liked it."

She gave him a startled expression, blinking as she looked at him.

"What? You went all straight, and your chin, and that guy looked like he would have jumped off the bridge if you asked him to," he said, leaning off the building and emulating her pose from the bank. "It was interesting to watch, makes me wonder what you look like a dinner parties. Do you just give that look down your nose like you gave him when they say something you don't like?"

She snorted, a faint blush creeping over her cheeks. "You ready for something to eat or not? You didn't bring me breakfast."

He jumped up, grinning madly at her and circled around her.

"Oh, you said the magic words now," he taunted, speeding ahead of her while taking a deep breath. "Let's find something delicious."

She laughed. "You look like a hound!"

He didn't reply as he floated onwards, leading her back into the crowd of people and stopping to examine restaurants and cafe fronts before finally settling on one, excitedly gesturing her over to the entrance. She smiled, walking up the steps and into the restaurant, pointing at a table in the back that the maid nodded to, leading her over to the corner before leaving her with a curtsey. Jack settled into the empty chair next to her, grinning madly.

"Ah, this will be great," he said.

She smiled as the maid returned, setting down cups of tea and coffee with containers of cream and sugar. Another serving girl setting down a basket of various breads and a bowl of fruit.

"But I didn't order anything," she whispered to Jack, watching as he snatched up a fruit from the bowl.

"We are in Italy," he commented. "They like to feed people. Just sit back and enjoy. Besides, it's almost lunchtime."

She opened her mouth to comment, but was interrupted by more plates of food being placed on the table, and an empty plate being set in front of her.

"You better start eating," Jack commented. "I don't think they will stop."

Elsa gaped at the dishes before her, leaning forward to scoop portions onto her plate with a smile, laughing when Jack left to find utensils for himself, eager to dig into the food.

"Careful, it might be hard to explain a floating fork," she said, closing her eyes in delight as the masterful mix of flavors washed over her palate.

He scowled at her, eating carefully as she worked her way through the various courses. She protested more than once at the amount of food being brought out, the serving maids watching as Elsa portioned some of one dish onto a plate before whisking it away to be replaced with another. Dishes of antipasto, pastas, soups and more things that she wasn't even sure what she was eating, only knowing that the flavors were amazing as they touched her tongue. Jack sat next to her, joking and laughing as they worked their way through dish after dish. Elsa carefully murmuring her comments around her cup or napkin to the wry spirit, trying desperately not to laugh when he looked up at her innocently with red sauce smeared around his lips.

Jack almost shouted in delight when the dessert dish was slid in front of Elsa, one colored brown and the other a delicate white specced with little dark flecks.

"Gelato," Jack breathed, leaning forward to swipe his finger through one of the selections, leaning back with a moan as he tasted it.

She eyed him with amusement, leaning to tap his hand with her spoon. "That's mine," she said. "Don't do that."

"Then eat it! Or I'm liable to steal that whole dish away from you."

She smiled, trying hard not to laugh as she carefully scooped up some of the thick cream-like dessert while he watched her. She eyed him before eating, surprised at the cold temperature and rich, smooth flavor that exploded in her mouth. She felt her eyes close in delight and a chill run down her spine.

"Oh my goodness this is good," she murmured, eagerly gathering more to eat.

"I told you," he said, leaning to gather some up for himself, laughing as she nudged his spoon away to gather more herself. "Looks as though you approve of everything though."

She smiled, concentrating on finishing her meal while he snuck bites of the iced cream whenever he could.

The food finished, and her belly protesting that it could take no more of the decadent foods, she rose and left a selection of coins on the table for the serving maids as the buzz of conversation had grown with the lunch crowd that had come in as well; the fine silks and lace of ladies and gentlemen seated around her bespoke of the normal patronage of the establishment.

She stepped back into the sunlight, retying the ribbon of her hat that she'd removed while inside and looking around.

"Now, I suppose you want to go shopping," Jack drawled, balancing on an iron fence post near her.

She smiled, his face a mixture of pleasure from the meal they'd just consumed and dread at the thought of shopping.

"The museum, where is it at?" she asked, carefully moving down the steps as Jack grinned, leaping off the post and began to lead the way.

The next hours were filled with the slow walk through of art filled rooms, Jack making Elsa laugh by emulating the various poses of the portrait figures while other art patrons cast her wary glances as she smiled and struggled to contain herself. Several older gentlemen narrated their way through one of the rooms, the old art lovers making various comments on each of the works by Botticelli while Jack patiently translated beside her. They passed paintings, portraits, statues and mosaics, Elsa taking time to study each one with a reverent awe.

"You like art," he commented as they moved from one room to the next. "Any reason?"

She smiled, nodding at a couple that passed before entering the new gallery room and sighing when she saw it was empty.

"It takes you to a different world, each of these pieces," she said, stepping up to look at a new painting. "The artist made them with the intent of taking the viewer someplace else, whether that be mythological, the past or just, elsewhere. I can't help but appreciate that, wanting to go someplace else but knowing you can't."

He was silent for a long while after that, stepping back to let her examine each of the pieces in a silent reverence while he watched her. He smiled, stepping to follow her as she breathed in each new piece, this museum being quieter than the large Louvre; she seemed much more at ease.

After the museum, he led her through the various streets to the large domed church, the Duomo, the huge white stone cathedral was a huge structure, accented carefully with greens and red with huge gold covered doors standing open to beckon believers and tourists alike. Inside, the floors, walls and huge vaulted ceilings screamed of the opulence of the magnificent cathedral, a testament to faith, power and wealth of the proud city. Huge stained glass windows decorated the walls, the colored light spilling in from the sun dipping lower in the sky, which the gold of the decorations picked up in almost an ethereal glow. Enormous frescos stretched wide across sections of the ceiling, their carefully painted figures detailing the various Saints or bible scene the artist had worked so hard to craft.

The altar placed at the back of the cathedral, surrounded by gorgeously and carefully carved statues of religious persons with a priest carefully tending to their care as he lovingly ran a cloth over the base of one. Every place that Elsa turned there was something new for her to look at as she slowly made her way around in quiet appreciation. Jack did not try to mimic the figures here, instead choosing to follow behind her and pointing out things himself and nodding along to her soft murmurings.

As she had in Paris, Elsa deposited coins into the box placed at the entrance of the cathedral before moving out into the darkening light of the day as the sun hung low in the sky.

"Oh," she murmured, a frown passing over her lips. "Not nearly enough time. The shops will be closing soon."

"So," Jack said, leaning on his staff as he pondered. "Stay here tonight. You have enough coins to get a hotel room. Tomorrow you can shop before we head back north, and we can even stop somewhere else tomorrow. Belgium maybe?"

She considered this for a long moment, looking around at the friendly, bustling city around her and not wanting to leave just yet; there was still too much yet to explore.

"But if something happens, if they need me," she started, looking over at him with worry.

"They haven't yet, besides, they know you needed to have some fun. So stay and have some fun! We can go watch the sun set over the Mediterranean if you want."

"I'm not having you land in a bush again to avoid from being seen," she countered, turning to walk down the street towards the river. "Okay, I suppose one night being away won't hurt anything."

* * *

Anna fumed at Kristoff, pointing a finger at him as he carefully unhooked Sven from the sleigh.

"Why didn't you stay?" she exclaimed, her hands moving around wildly.

"Because I'm sure she just went out somewhere. She's fine, Anna, there were things there of hers, and they looked like they had been used recently. Maybe she just doesn't realize you're so worried?" he offered.

She huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm going to have a talk with her when she gets back. IF she gets back," she said the last part with a glare towards her husband.

He chuckled, pulling a bundle of carrots out of a bag and offering them to his longtime friend. Anna had insisted on going back up to the North Mountain to see if Elsa had returned earlier that day, he'd managed to convince her to let him go while she stayed behind. He sighed as her skirts flared around her as she stalked back inside the palace, the shouts of her apologies as she ran into one of the kitchen staff carrying out to him.

He began to count on his fingers. "7 months? 8 months? Not soon enough," he said with a sigh, moving to follow her inside and wading into the commotion. Things were certainly much more interesting in his life these days; no one could call living with Anna dull.

* * *

Poor Kristoff!

I'll work on getting the next chapter out as soon as possible guys! Love! Aria


	10. Chapter 10

**_So sorry that this update took so long dearies, but I hope you enjoy! Love! Aria_**

**_Note: I TOTALLY made a mistake with the timing in this as well, that I apologize for. As all of you know, Frostbitten is set in the mid-1820s right now while Jack and Elsa are taking their little trip to the various nations. What I neglected to do while I first said that they went to Belgium was check to see that Belgium was actually an established nation in this time frame (which it wasn't). Belgium was a part of the United Nation of the Netherlands until October 4th, 1830 when it declared its independence, and then Belgium wasn't recognized as a nation until April 19th, 1839. So, the little trip that you'll see in this chapter is going to be portrayed about 20 years or so TOO EARLY, and I'm very sorry for that, but I did want to have them go to Belgium. (There is your history lesson for the day :) )_**

* * *

Anna was laying on her and Kristoff's bed on her back, a pillow over her face as Kristoff stood at the foot of the bed, looking down at her with a helpless expression. He moved forward to touch her, paused and then straightened back up, swallowing before he spoke.

"Anna?" he asked quietly.

Her arms moved, flopping the pillow onto her swollen belly, exposing her red, swollen eyes.

"Why hasn't she come back yet?" Anna wailed, turning her head to look at Kristoff. "Did I make her mad again? Does she not like me now? Is she ignoring me? Why is this happening?"

The pillow flipped back up over her face as she screamed into it, her legs kicking. Kristoff looked up at the ceiling and exhaled.

"I'm sure she is just enjoying her vacation, Anna. She's fine, nothing looked amiss when I was up there yesterday," he said, giving a concerned look at his pillow covered wife.

Anna sobbed from under her pillow, crossing her arms over top of it.

* * *

"Elsa!" Jack said, bouncing on the end of her bed. "Wake up! Wake up!"

Elsa groaned, pulling her pillow over her head as she stretched out in the silken sheets of the comfortable bed she had slept in. Her snow bed in her ice castle was quite nice, but the down mattress she slept was wonderfully luxurious.

"Jack," she groaned. "What time-"

"Time to get up!" he said, pulling at the covers.

She pulled up the covers to glare down at him. "You know, some of us like to sleep."

He scoffed, flipping over to perch on the bedpost.

"You'd rather sleep all day when there is so much fun to be had? Food to be eaten? Gelato to be tasted?"

She chuckled. "Shopping to be done?"

"Well," he said, hesitating. "I'm not so sure about that."

She flung the pillow up at him, causing him to lean back and topple off the bedpost.

"Hey!" he said, tossing the pillow back up from the floor.

Elsa giggled and sat up in the head, resting her head against the headboard as she yawned and stretched her arms up above her head.

"They have something downstairs for breakfast that you want, don't they," she asked, giving him a sly smile.

"We are in Italy, they can make nothing bad," he retorted.

"Well, go do something while I get ready then."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. But hurry up would you, I'm hungry."

She kicked off the silken covers, smiling at him. "I'm beginning to think this is a pattern with you."

He gave her a sly smile as he went to the window and opened it, hopping onto the ledge and out into the morning air. Her room overlooked, barely, a portion of the river from it's third floor station and the scents of freshly baked bread wafted in on the morning air. She stepped over to the opened window, breathing in the fresh air before pulling the window closed and began her morning routine, eager for breakfast herself.

Two lazy hours later, she emerged from the lobby of the hotel with a wide smile on her face, the spritely guardian floating just above and beside her with a satisfied smile on his face.

"You could have left more of the fruit for me," she murmured, turning to start to walk down the street. "It was delicious."

"Yes. Yes it was," he agreed, skipping along in the air beside her. "Besides, you had all of that chocolate pastry thing. Where to then?"

She smiled brightly up at him. "Shopping."

He groaned, wilting from his aloft position in the air as he set down beside her. "What? Bu-"

"No, no protests," she said, holding up a hand as they rounded a corner. "There were all sorts of neat things on that bridge that I want to go back and look at, so I'm going back."

She could see him silently sulking from the corner of her eye, but he didn't protest further as they made their way back to the covered walkway that was already busy, the various merchants happily holding out their goods for everyone to see as they past.

Elsa marveled at everything as she slowly made her way from stall to stall, packets, parcels and bags slowly starting to weigh her down as she purchased Florentine leather and silver, Murano glass from Venice and luxurious fabrics from various parts of the globe set up for all to come and buy. Jack stayed close to her, patiently translating as she haggled over prices with the vendors and admired various other wares.

"Are you almost done?" he whined, as they neared the end of the bridge. "I think you've bought everything."

"While my arms would agree with you, I haven't," she murmured, leaning over a display of tiny mosaic art pieces.

"Well, I can take them from you when you're done," he said in a sing-song tone of voice, causing her to smirk.

As she finished her last purchases, the leather bags she had bought for Kristoff now full to bursting with all the other items, she turned and took the last few steps out to the other side of the bridge, looking up at the sky and noting the sun's high position.

"Oh my," she murmured. "I was in there longer than I thought."

Jack appeared ahead of her, looking thoroughly bored and more than a little ready for something new to do.

"4 hours and 18 minutes," he said, his blue eyes pleading with her. "Please tell me you're done."

She smiled at him, chuckling. "I don't understand why you don't like getting to see all the neat things people make and sell, some of them are really neat!"

He gave her a sidelong glance as they walked further down the side of the river, Elsa shifting her bags higher on her arms several times.

"How much did you get, exactly?" he asked, eyeing the bags.

"As I said, there were a lot of neat things. And, I'm the Queen, I'm allowed to get as much as I want."

"Uh-huh," he said, still looking at the bags. "And I'm guessing I get to help carry them all back to your ice palace."

"It would certainly be nice of you," she said, giving him a big smile. "And I'm all done here, if you'd like to head back early."

"That doesn't sound bad actually," he said. "Come on, there is a stable down the road from here, we can take off from there."

"And how will none of the stablehands notice me? I can't exactly move fast with all these bags and parcels."

"And whose fault is that?" he asked, smiling at her.

She glared back at him.

"Just, flip him a coin and say you were never there," he said, shrugging. "They will likely assume you're meeting a lover or having a tryst."

She gasped. "That is outrageous, I would never!"

"Yeah, but they don't have to know that," he said, smirking at her. "This way, maybe there are some trees in the back here that we can have you hide in first."

She sighed, casting her eyes upward as she followed him around the stable, trying not to breathe in the foul air of excrement as they did so. There was a stablehand in the back of the yard who was attending to a milking cow, she had a moment of panic when she saw him.

"Don't panic," Jack said, grabbing her arm and pulling her forward. "Just put your nose in the air all noble like and keep going forward. If he says something, then you give him some coin to ignore you."

"You know a lot about this," she murmured, looking ahead and walking quickly towards the group of trees behind the yard.

"I've seen it happen a few times," he said. smiling at her. "Never gets old. Especially when the lady catches the gentleman with another lady? Oh, that's just fun to watch."

"That's what you do in your free time?"

"Well, what else am I supposed to do when it's not winter? People are fun to watch."

She stifled a chuckle and ducked below a branch as they made their way into the trees, yelping as her bag caught on a limb.

"I got it, I got it," he said, hopping back to untangle the strap.

Elsa groaned, kneeling down on the ground and spreading the bags and parcels out around her. She winced and rubbed her arms after setting them all aside, looking mournfully at the angry red marks on her arms.

"I told you not to get that glass sculpture," he said, looking down at her.

She sighed, pulling at one of the bags. "I know, but it's so pretty."

Jack rolled his eyes, bending down to pick up several straps, looping them on his arms and over the crook of his staff, which he had flipped over and was holding upside down at the moment. She watched him, seemingly mesmerized as he carefully lifted each item, testing it's weight before distributing around his arms or his staff.

"Okay, come on," he said, gesturing for her to stand up.

She blinked, realizing that he'd picked up everything. "Oh, I was going to help carry everything."

He gave her a rueful smile, angling his staff in his arms as he walked towards her.

"I'd be carrying everything anyways, this makes it a little easier," he said, stepping forward to scoop her up.

She squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck as they floated off the ground a few feet before stopping. She turned and looked at him, his face working as she felt his hand move to adjust his staff underneath her.

"Problem?" she asked, glancing down and around her.

"Yeah, this is heavy," he said, bouncing her slightly as he shifted his hold on her.

She gasped, turning an affronted face back to him.

"Oh don't give me that," he said, floating higher in the air before turning around and setting off north. "You are fine. I meant half of Florence that we're taking back with us. Women, you're all so vain."

She scowled at that, fighting a smile; she had bought rather a lot of things, and he was carrying it, and her, back with relatively no fuss. She supposed a few quips wouldn't hurt anything after he'd taken her everywhere the last few days and waited patiently, helping to translate for her whenever she'd needed it.

They continued north, back over the mountains and north through France when Jack started to complain again.

"What on earth did you buy?" he asked, looking down at her. "Am I carrying more than one statue in these bags?"

"Well, two," she admitted. "And there was some very fine silverwork that I just thought was lovely that I bought a set of."

"A SET?" he exclaimed. "I'm not taking you shopping anymore."

"But!"

"How about the beach? We could go to the beach tomorrow. That could be fun."

She blinked at him. "The what?"

"The beach! Where the ocean meets the land, it's all sandy. Though, I don't really like the sand bits, gets too hot. And sandy. I like the water though, the waves get huge and massive before they crash onto the beach. I like to freeze them when they get really big."

She slowly smiled up at him. "You freeze the waves?"

"Yeah! It's fun," he said, grinning widely at her.

His arms drooped down, causing them to dip in the air; Elsa screamed, squeezing Jack's neck tightly as they fell several feet in the air.

"Jack! Don't drop me!"

"Elsa. Can't see," Jack gasped out, his face buried in her chest.

"Sorry," she said, loosening her grasp.

He gave her a strained smile, looking around. "I told you, I won't drop you. How does a little break sound? Belgium perhaps?"

"I guess?"

"Good, because it wasn't really a question," he said, skimming the tops of the trees before landing beside a massive oak tree.

She looked around, confused as he sighed, setting her down and removing the items from his arms.

"What are we doing here?" she asked, looking around at the variety of trees.

"Storing your things."

"HERE?"

"What? You think the squirrels are going to take off with your silver? I think they prefer more tasty treasures."

She shot him a glare. "I can't just leave all my things in, in a tree!"

"Why not? I do it all the time," he said, carefully picking up several bags and leaping to a high branch to tuck them away.

"But, what if we forget which tree they are in?" she asked, looking worriedly at her bags.

"I won't forget," he said, moving a tree branch down to cover the bags as frost lanced up the leaves, freezing them in place.

"But-"

"Elsa," he said, landing in front of her. "It will be fine, stop worrying."

He smiled at her. "Just, enjoy. Like you have been."

She watched as he hid the rest of her bags, then turned to gather her up again, still smiling at her.

"I guess this means I can't get anything more in the next place," she said, smiling at him.

"No," he said quickly. "No more shopping."

"So where ARE we going then?"

"Brussels," he said, flying them towards the north again. "Just a little more north of here. Neat city, OLD city. Cool buildings."

"Good food?" she guessed.

"Lots of places have good food, I thought you would appreciate me taking you to places with good food," he muttered, shifting his grasp on her and flying faster as she laughed.

They set down behind a large building, the stone tiled spires stretching high up into the late afternoon sky as Elsa looked around at the impressive stone architecture. She slowly started to walk forward on the stone path, marveling at the buildings around them.

"These are amazing," she said, smiling up at everything around them.

"Yeah, as I said. Old city, cool buildings."

She stepped to the side as a cart rattled past, splashing water from a puddle onto the path as the driver shouted an apology to her. She furrowed her brow, glancing up at him.

"They speak French?"

"Some do, we are close to France after all."

She nodded, moving further along and swinging her neck around as she marveled at everything around her as they made their way down the streets.

* * *

Olaf huddled behind the heavy curtain, trying desperately not to laugh aloud as he heard the fast paced footsteps of Lisbet running into the room. Erik was hiding in the curtain across from him, their game of hide and seek continuing as the girl had been the last found.

Olaf gasped as she ripped the curtain back from him, giggling. "I found you, Olaf!"

Erik hopped out from beside him, laughing as well. "Again! Again!"

Olaf grinned. "Okay, okay," he said, turning around, covering his eyes with his small twig hands. "One, two, three..."

He heard the running footsteps of the twins take off behind him, both of them scurrying to find a new hiding spot from their snowman playmate.

* * *

Kristoff came into the apartment of rooms that held his family, setting his worn bags aside and looked up, seeing Anna standing at the window facing North. He smiled softly at her, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her head. She sighed, leaning back.

"I know you're worried," he said, gently swaying her side to side. "But she's going to be fine, you'll see. I'll bet she's just having fun, doing whatever she thinks is fun, probably doesn't even realize you're worried."

She squeezed his hand with one of hers. "I hope you are right. I just, I just got her back as a sister though it seems. I'm scared to lose her again."

"She'll be back soon, rested from her little trip and ready to dive back into her duties. And you'll be ready to send her back off again in no time," he said.

There was a riot of laughter from the hall behind them, causing them both to step back and look at the open door as Erik, Lisbet and Olaf tumbled in the doorframe, limbs all jumbled and faces red from exertion. Kristoff stepped away from Anna, taking two large steps and scooping his laughing children into his arms while Olaf rearranged himself on the floor below.

"Papa," Lisbet laughed, hugging his neck. "Papa, tell us a story."

"Yes!" Erik said, bouncing on his other side, his eyes bright. "Yes, a story!"

Kristoff laughed, turning around to look at Anna who was smiling at them, her hands resting on her stomach. He turned and carried them to the couch, sitting down in the center of one large couch as the twins bended to pick up stuffed dolls and animals from beside them, turning wide eyes up to their father.

"Mama! Come join us!" Erik said, moving over on his cushion to make room for her.

"What should our story be?" Kristoff asked, adjusting Lisbet on his lap.

"The one about how you and mama met! And you went on your adventure together, and fought the wolves, and met Olaf!"

Kristoff smiled down at her. "Well it sounds like you already know that story."

"But tell it again!" she said, bouncing as she held up her doll.

"Oh, oh! I love this story!" Olaf said, running around to plop down in front of Kristoff as well, grinning up at him. "It has me in it."

Anna chuckled, easing down beside her family.

"Well, it all started several years ago when your aunt Elsa got very scared and took off to her ice palace in the North Mountain, and your mama went out after her, trying to find her," Kristoff said, smiling at Anna. "Aunt Elsa had just been crowned Queen that very day, so it was a very big day for Arendelle."

Lisbet wrapped her arms around her doll, her eyes wide as she looked up at Kristoff, Erik shifted to sit on what remained of Anna's lap, his head leaning against her chest.

"Were you there too papa?" Lisbet asked, already knowing the answer.

"No," he said. "I had left to go up to get ice already. It was when I was coming back down to Arendelle that I met mama, at Oaken's."

Anna smiled at him, rubbing a hand down Erik's back as Kristoff told them the story, the sun slowly setting in the sky outside.

* * *

**_Just a friendly reminder that Erik and Lisbet are a little precocious for their age, as I did mess up the age timeline just a little bit. Oops._**

**_Please review, hope you liked it! Love! Aria_**


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